Forbidden Power
by ToySoldiers
Summary: Do you believe in the Kindred legand, The Heart of Kindred, also known as Siren? Witch's daughter, Claudia, may befriend Siren without knowning. Is Siren ready to fully accept herself, shead her haughting fears, forgive human males and fall in love?
1. The Explosion

"Oh, shoot! I left the meat cooking too long!" I threw the book I was just reading onto my bed and threw myself upwards as a burnt smell filled my nose, informing me that the worst of the worst has happened to my experimental meat. I gave a personal note to myself that reading 'The Lord's Wife', a love tale by Raynes, while cooking is a recipe for disaster.

Speaking of recipes... I used Craft to turn off the fire and vanish the black and crispier-than-should-be meat off the frypan and onto the chopping board. I pulled the frypan into my hands and dumped in without care into the sink full of hot soapy water and a few other things – a handy method that I'd made myself, that rids of all grime, stains and stays forever hot and soapy... it's getting rid of the stuff that's a problem...

I snatched the handle of a butcher knife and tenderly cut the corner of the meat I had been watching awareness no less than a few ten minutes ago. The inside was a brown-ish colour with a black, crispy hard edge around the outside. I pulled a disproving face at the thing that was once meat and sighed as I floated it about in the air and disposed of it. Overcooked meat was not what I was hoping to achieve for dinner.

I yawned and stretched my golden wings as I walked towards to soapy essence that held my was-ember covered utensils. I griped the fry pan and pulled it out of the sink, tilting it so the bubbles slowly crawled towards one side. Once getting bored of this usually fun activity, I shook it lightly and used Craft to clean and dry the pan.

I stacked it neatly away before standing there, staring out the window with a blanked mind. Every bored stiff day is the same since mother died – get up, train and practice with weapons, make breakfast, run around the cottage, read a book, make dinner, clean up and sleep. Today, I felt like there was something I needed and wanted to do. I yearned to go outside and actually relax today; to do something different. I felt so pumped and full of energy, as if these past years of the same boring routine had stored all my energy for this very moment...

I looked around the house, as if checking to see if there was anyone to witness me sneaking out and breaking my mother's rules. Of course, there wasn't – I live alone, and alone I shall live. A grim feeling temporarily blocked my thoughts of freedom, and I frowned at the thought, as if frowning would make it back down and slip out of my head; it worked, however weird that may be.

I beamed at the door and skipped towards it, sliding it open. Fresh, forest air filled my nose and I sighed in happily. Now, the question of the century: What to do?

The tranquil forest stood there, the tree's rustling and moving to the wind, as if they were partners. I watched with awe and felt my shoulders ache. There was a nice, warm wind today... So nice... if only I could fly and sore and dance with the wind, just like the trees were. Just like I had done, as a child.

Well, I thought stubbornly to myself, why not?

Mothers not going to just pop up from the grave or anything, is she now? She taught me about Hell, but I had a gut feeling that even if she was daemon-dead, she wouldn't care about me if I was two feet in front of her. All she cared about was keeping up her image: she told me when I was younger that she had met my father at an Erin training camp, and bedded him. It wasn't until the next day when his peers had snickered at her had she realised what she had done – she had bedded a half breed. I, honestly, saw nothing wrong with this, I mean, that technically makes me a three-quarter breed, doesn't it?

Maybe that's why she doesn't, or more likely _didn't _care for me. The bitch was dead and I was happy, and alone, and had sworn to 'follow in her example' by my mother as she lay on her deathbed. Little did she know I crossed my fingers behind my back and was counting the horribly sluggish minutes until she kicked the bucket and got taken off by her current boy-friend at the time; and undertaker, as sceptical as that may sound.

I took a cautious step forwards and looked around the completely level ground. I think going in the Western direction would be easiest, I thought to myself, because the sun sets in that direction and so it'd also be easy to remember how to get myself home, and to explore. Maybe I should take somethi-

_**Tha-Boom! **_

A violent quake shuddered around me, knocking me awkwardly to my bottom. Three experimental plants in clay pots jumped off their ledges and shattered just behind and next to me as I curled up into a tight ball to protect myself; wings and all. The glass door behind me cracked and smashed, sending sprays of sharp glass bursting in my direction, fortunately only slicing the left side of my arm and twice on my leg, while I tried to huddle and avoid the missiles. I didn't have time to think – the explosion happened in a millisecond, and the waves of force lasted merely seconds, maybe eight.

The first thing I noticed when the tremor stopped, was the three plants; my three most useful. The one furtherest away from me had shattered a few meters away, and laid completely ruined. It had been a flower I had made to glow in the dark, like a light. The experiment was successful and luckily I have a good memory, or else I would never remember such a thing again. The plant whose remains laid less than a meter away, were of the flower who's petals could change colour and emit a fly killing spray; handy, especially where I am. The one closest to me, an inch from my nose was a Poison Dart bush – miniature, but attractive so when touched it explodes a row of poison tipped darts in every direction. The flaws were that it penetrated my shields, and I'm Gray jewelled. However once it got use to a person it never shot at them again.

That's probably the only reason I'm not howling in pain...and dead.

I realised my hands from around my head and winced when a piece of thin glass as long as my finger fell out from my left forearm.

"Shoot!" I swore and wriggled my arm, attempting to get the shard of glass out of my skin. Stupid me, I forgot to put up a shield! I'll feel the pain tomorrow, I think, because that milk I drank this morning was filled with one of my plants crushed leaves; I called it 'Pain-me-not'. Stupid, stupid me! Luckily I drank that milk or I'd be in so much pain at the moment! I looked behind me at my wings, surprised and forever grateful they hadn't been damaged. An Erin is nothing without their wings... and their Erin War Blade, but mother had never given me on, so I'd only heard about it in stories.

Then, I looked up in front of me to see black smoke weaving its way into the sky, and a putrid burnt smell wafted up my nose like a disease. I summoned my healing kit and picked two rather large chunk of glass out of my, leg. I shuddered, grossed-out when warm blood started oozing down from my thigh and dripped over me and my shoes. After applying all wounds with a healing balm, I stared at where the explosion had happened, or so I think.

I'm scared that looking behind me will horrify me, because surely dreadful damage had happened to my house? Frankly, I don't want to know.

What I do want to know, however, (and whether this is because I hit my head to hard or I'm crazy. Maybe both.), is what caused the explosion? Craft? Someone's meddling with nature, like my experiments? A _real _bomb?

I stood up and limped forwards a bit, spreading my wings. Well, I did want to go flying today, didn't I?, plus I wished for something different to happen too. I guess.

Spreading my wings, I curved down and used my well-built legs to push myself up into the warm currents of air, scanning everything that moved, just in case. Badly hurt females are usually the prey when gangs of men are hungry for sex, blood and violence. In my case, I could shield myself and fly off, but one can never be too careful. Speak of which, _I_ _should_ put up a shield.

Ugh – I'm so dim-witted today! I've never been so stupid in my life! All that 'stick to the roster' must have gotten rid of half my brains, and maybe that half's just waking up again. Or maybe it died with my mother.

I circled the blacked area. It _looked _like an explosion had gone off; a giant hole that was twelve times bigger than my cottage was engraved in the forest like someone had laid a very large circular stepping stone within the trees. Soot floated down from burnt butt-naked trees and settled on the already blackened ground.

Floating slowly and cautiously to the ground, I noticed there were foot prints planted everywhere. I stuck my foot childishly inside of one and I felt worryingly shocked at the size of the feet. If that's the feet, then I'd hate to see the body... Paw prints were also scattered here and there, ranging from the size of three of my fingers to the size of my kitchen sink. All this worried me; I never even knew there were animals that big! Tigers, sure but... Wow! Twice to maybe three times as big!

The footprints looked recent, so I checked around me to make sure no man-eating animal was going to charge randomly out and eat me. Nothing. So I continued my search for clues, when I saw something odd. Felt something odd too. It was like something was pushing against my shield, though I could see and sense no one. It was a feeling on Craft, and _very_ resent.

I looked around me, pivoting. Nothing there. Nope; nothing to the North-East. No one here. Defiantly not there... I cocked my head to the side, my wings outstretched as I listened. There were no birds singing, no earthy smell to inhale, and no deer prancing with each other... This is a dreadful sign; either that or I must defiantly be losing it.

Suddenly, something broke from a tree above me and with a thump hit the ground. I froze and stared wide-eyed at the floating tree branch. Yep. Elayn, my dear me, you've lost it; and the next thing you know you'll be talking to yourself. Oh, wait.

The tree branch snapped violently in half and with a... growl?... both parts were sent flying at a the tree it had come from. I heard something get up and saw paw prints pressed into the ground, along with the soot covered bottoms of something's miniature feet.

Then, a tiger appeared right in front of me, in the quickest blink of an eye. I blinked too, but to get rid of the surprise. It was above up to my knees, white and with black stripes. Soot really did cover its feet and it was looking fearfully up at me. But I was caught and shocked by the red jewel dangling around its neck on a gold chain.

I felt a well of fear grow inside of me; I've only ever heard stories about Kindred, horrid Landen-eating beasts that grew and grew ever powerful... But it's just a kitten! A cat, and it's ranked a jewel strength under me. I should just leave before it attacks me, though. Before it decides to-

And it sneezed.

I was shocked; it was so unexpected and adorable. And, it was just a cat, a large one at that, and even if it was a tiger, I could train it otherwise; like not to eat people – or at least not me. Besides, it's so _cute_. And dangerous... but I can handle it, right? I'm a jewel higher than it.

Him. It's a he, I noticed. He also has burns to the front of his muzzle, a vertical bleeding cut over his right eye, and he's probably in shock and alone. The poor dear. My stomach dropped as I felt entirely guilty.

"Hey there." I crooned to it and bent down into a squatting position, trying to keep slow, deliberate movements as not to scare him. The tiger-cub just looked at me with big, wide eyes. Maybe I should take my shield off, or at least take it to a Green shield so he doesn't feel threatened, and I still feel safe.

The fine golden chain holding my necklace slipped over the top of my shirt as I lent slightly forwards while changing my shield's strength down a few notches. He noticed, and then he seemed to relax. I stretched my hand out as slowly as I could before letting it hover over his forehead. Please don't bite me, I chanted in my head.

Plonking my hand down on his head gave me the willies; I felt like a giant relief had came over me, like finally going to the toilet after you've been busting to pee – that's the only way I can think of describing it. I'm sure I'll think of something better later.

*Ouch.* A six-year-olds voice filled my head on a red spear thread. Instinctively, I looked over my shoulder. I felt stupid after that; of course there's no one behind you! I'm sure you would have heard that person by now, I mean, how many other people do you know that are ranked over Grey? Sure, I've heard there's the Sadist, who's Black-Jewelled, and somewhere out there there's Witch, plus the High Lord... and the only Ebon-grey person in the whole three realms, but I doubt they'd be here.

Or maybe there would be here soon; any one of them could have wondered why such a huge bang must have gone off in the middle of a deserted and isolated forest, couldn't they? In that case, I'm going to be getting out of here soon; one doesn't want to get charged for something they are innocent for... unless you're mad as a hatter.

"I'm sorry." I apologised quickly in a whisper, turning back to him. Kindred can talk too. Well, in some mad way this all makes sense, I mean, I guess Kindred can do everything Blood can do, and that kind of means they're part Blood, so, he's sort of like my distant (oh so very distant) brother.

"Are you okay?" I questioned while gently stroking his forehead. Well that's a stupid question! Of course he's not okay; he's bleeding and injured! Gosh do I need to wake up. Where's a coffee when I need one?

*A little.* was the reply. He sounded upset – maybe he's just trying to be strong...

I tucked my loose fringe behind my ear and sat cross legged on the ground, before summoning my healing kit. He eyed it suspiciously. "It helps your cuts." I told him weakly. I'm not sure about some of them, I mean; I'm not a professional Healer.

He seemed to accept that and lay down in front of me, but keeping a firm shield up. Red shield, might I add, and I'm the one with a Green shield at the moment. I cleaned up most of his cuts, except his muzzle seamed too burnt for me to do much and the scratch over his right eye was going to be a permanent scar. It was the best I could do.

"There. Feeling better?" I crooned to him. He didn't answer, so I sighed and stood up. His gaze followed my movement and I crossed my arms and looked down at him. "What's your name?" I asked politely. He stared up at me, looking just as confused as I felt.

*I don't get a proper name until I have proved myself to my mother, who names me after what I am, or had done.* was the response.

I frowned, puzzled then looked up at the tree. Keeping my head up, I questioned, awed and appeased, "How'd you get up there?"

*I used air walk, and held on.* He told me, sounding suspicious. My eyebrows knitted together; Air Walk? I've never heard of such thing, but no matter.

"You shall be named Kalan'drios." I informed him, proud with myself for reading that book on name meanings. Kalan meant Fury, and Drios means Wind, or in this case, Air.

*Fury of Air.* He mused. "Kalan for short." I told him, provided he was with me long enough to even call the name, I mean, he's a tiger and I'm sure his parents will be looking for him soon.

*Will I stay with you? Like with mother's sister and her Den?*Kalan sounded enthusiastic. If I were him, I'd probably be wary... but company would be good for me, I think. He might be a handful, for example, where am I going to get the money to feed him? I'll figure something out.

"Welcome to the Basslia Family." I grinned at him.

**May not be another Chapter for a while, because I have school work and all. **

**Please review – the more the merrier, and the happier and more enthusiastic I'll be ! : ] **

**~~ToySoldiers~~**


	2. Hide and Tag

**Sorry – made mistakes in the last Chapter by spelling 'Erin' instead of 'Eyrien'... Opps!**

**Two years later, in the forest bordering the Village Terion, Ebon Askavi.**

"Kalan!" I carolled into the unresponsive surrounding forest. It was my turn to be 'It' for a game of hide and tag. I mean, although Kalan'drios is a centimetre off beating my door's height, he's pure white and the fact that you practically can't miss him, it's amazingly strange how good he is at hide and tag. We figured, after a year, give or take, that he wasn't a tiger – tigers didn't grow that large. Oh well; I didn't mind. He had three minutes to find a hiding spot, before I went to find him.

He usually chose something that wouldn't give him away – like standing one top of a branch, with a invisibility shield on, because he'd be blocking too much of the wind. So trees was crossed off my mental list of where about's he could possibly have vanished too.

I bent over a broken twig and brushed it lightly with my fingers, trying to trace any scent of Craft, smell or tell-tale signs. The twig had no scent of Craft, or smell, but it did have a strand of fur resting on the brim of the tip.

I stood up, and following the way the fur seemed to point, I studied the path for Kalan. We liked to think of ourselves as almost the top hunters; the wolves were beating us constantly at that, and for that we respected them. We were second, prior to our senses as the wolves said mine were, 'Perfect for a two-legged'. I was, as I had seen, better than that of a Landen, but worse than some animals, but thank-fully not far off.

"I'm going to get you... where ever you are..." I taunted into the wind. I heard a very noisy rustling sound, coming from just behind me. Sometimes, Kalan couldn't help if there was a very irritating scratch on him, and would usually rub against something to ease the itch. Thankfully, this usually let me pin point him.

I sprung down into a crouch, and with a push sent myself straight to where Kalan was busy relieving an itch. "Gotcha!" I announced with a small laugh, pinning Kalan's thin, pale arms to the side of his head. I stared, wide eyed, into the golden-blue eyes of someone that wasn't Kalan.

She had long, wavy black hair that was pulled into a very loose bun. Her over-alls was covered in dirt and tangled with the bush that was digging its way into my shoulder. I pulled a face and jumped backwards slightly off the woman, who was clearly older than I was – about seventeen. A burst of raw Opal jewelled power was sent in my direction at the same time the girl through a shield up.

I stretched out my arm reflexively into a position that looked as if I was pointing without effort at the stranger. The Red power counteracted with my Red shielded finger, cancelling themselves out against one another without me having to lift a finger. Sort of.

I threw a Summer Sky shield around me, with a Grey shield backing it up like a second and third skin. This should, hopefully, make her feel unthreatened, although that stunt that I pulled off would probably not go unnoticed... "You should watch where you are treading in these woods, my lady. I'm afraid this isn't the safest place in the three realms." I began politely, keeping my face un-emotional.

"Yes, I am quite aware of that, thank-you, but I mistook you for somebody else. Sorry for any disturbance in the...thing you were doing." She threw a fake smile at me, and began to get up from her position of being entwined in the weed bush.

I was about to turn and walk off, which is what I wanted to do, when I began to notice how frail and silly her attempts at detaching herself from the common weed bush was. I felt sympathy for the lady, thinking that she probably was a long way from her home, and had no idea about any plant around her.

I sighed, knowing I would regret this later, when I turned back to the lady and walked towards her, keeping a firm check on my sight shield around my Eyrien wings. She stopped what she was doing for a moment, and looked up at me with wide and fearful eyes. I returned the blunt fake smile she had given me earlier, and reached my hand over her head and down to the root of the bush. With a small grunt, I managed to pinch the fauna. All of the weed bushes sticky leaves, prickly flowers and long stems vanished into the root of the bush within a split second.

"Thanks." I heard her mutter, before I leaned back away from her and gave her a good look over, to make sure she hadn't injured herself with her unintelligence of the world around her. No cuts, and nothing serious, but just a bruise behind her neck, where goodness knows what happened.

"Are you lost?" I enquired after a few moments of silence. She gave a dry laugh, keeping her eyes at her feet. "Of course I'm not." She informed me, sounding like she was telling herself this, not me. I shrugged lightly and started to pretend to turn.

"If you're not lost, then I'm sure I can leave you here then? If that's the case, than nice...meeting you." I exaggerated the word 'that's'. I found it very amusing how her eyes widened a bucket load, her nails dug into the earth and she looked momentarily shocked. She and I both new she was 100% lost. "Okay, okay. I'm lost." She huffed, obviously annoyed.

The corner of my lips pulled up a slight bit before I extended a hand to help her up. She took it with a moment's hesitation, and I yanked her up probably hard that I should have. Her face was inches from mine before I let go and took a step back, apologizing with a quick, "Sorry."

"You're strong." She observed, sounding amused and pleased. I felt confused – why is that a good thing, for her type anyway – she doesn't have to hunt for food for her brother, or use her skills to track him down in typical childish games. "Brothers." I shrugged her comment off and started walking away from where I had found her, and over to the Western direction; I knew there was a road there for the Blood, and even a Wind to catch above it.

She huffed loudly and suddenly looked more relaxed. "I know what you mean."

I hiked onwards at a reasonable pace, but she kept seeming to slow down, like my pace was difficult. I thought all Blood where as fit as me... I thought, confused again. "I'm Claudia by the way." She declared in a huffed tone. I really must be walking too fast for her.

"Nice to meet you." I nodded, but didn't do much more than that – I haven't been around another person since mother died, and I didn't plan on it since then. Kindred had been my thing since then; my family. Kalan was my brother, but the local wolves were like extended cousins. I knew what to say to them, knew what offended then and what was okay to say. Blood... well... Not really. Everything before meeting Kalan is like a blur – there wasn't anything useful or life changing back in those days anyway...

"And you name is...?" Claudia prompted, sounding childish, and extremely huffed. "Let's just stop for a break." I suggested to her, changing the subject entirely. The wolves believed that giving you name to a Blood was like giving them your soul, so no names were given to any outsider until they had a high reputation with them. That's why they howled to the moon, because the moon was surrounded in Darkness, so they believed the moon was the Darkness's messenger, and they sent their names to the moon as to prove their faith to the Darkness; that the Darkness could control them.

I had howled to the moon one night, joining in with the wolves and Kalan. I am the first outsider, other than Kalan, to be told the names of the wolves in the pack. I'm seen as a mother figure, and by younger pups, like a saviour. Being with the Kindred so long has grown on me; like the fact that I don't like giving out my name often.

Claudia collapsed next to the nearest tree and took in very loud and very deep breaths. I was starting to wonder why she was breathing so loudly; that could give your position away in a lot of games, and when hunting. I shrugged her strange behaviour off.

After a few minute of waiting, she asked me, "How come you're not tired?"

I shrugged again, not looking at her. Out of the corner of my eye, I'd seen she had long, beautiful and neat black wavy hair, golden-blue eyes and tanned skin; unscarred and smooth looking. I, on the other hand, had shoulder-short black straight hair that was constantly messy, honey golden eyes and vey tanned skin. I feel as if I'm horribly ugly compared to her. "I am, I just walk a lot so I'm not as tired as you." I explained.

Claudia grunted and I frowned at the hill in front of me – the Kindred wouldn't have found that insulting. "Come on. There's a road over there with a Rose Wind over it." I sighed mentally and physically – Kalan would just have to wait for another half hour before I start to get back to him.

The road trek came slow than I thought; either because of the now mute company I had or because we were walking at such a slow pace. Both? I'm not sure...

"Well, here's the road, that's the Wind, and good luck." I turned around and sighed, gratefully, when I heard the steady beat of unnaturally large wings. I felt the hairs rise on the back of my neck as I slowed to a halt, hearing the wind beats slow and cut off, knowing that the person had landed. Another Eyrien means temper; temper means males; males mean unwanted attention.

"Daemonar!" I heard Claudia guffaw in a gleeful tone. I felt suppressed and completely aware of my surroundings. No matter how bad I wanted to move, I couldn't. It was like glue was sticking me to the ground, and I hated it. I noticed vaguely that Claudia didn't notice my still being there, but I knew this 'Daemonar' wouldn't act the same way.

"Who's this?" I heard a strong, husky voice ask. I knew it; I wish I'd left Claudia to herself once I'd freed her of the weed bush. And it was a common weed bush too – what a silly lady not to know about the simplest things.

"I'm not sure." Claudia's voice mumbled quietly, sounding just as confused as I felt. "But she helped me get untangled from a bush." She said, in a louder and lighter tone. I narrowed my eyes and grinded my teeth together when I felt the approach of more Blood. Three more, but whose counting? A Sapphire Jewelled, a Red and a Green. Curses.

I swore under my breath and kept myself facing away from the oncoming three others, and away from the two I could sense physically. The idea of escaping not only dissolved instantly because it was silly against such odds, but because that was also not in my nature to flee. I stood my ground, mainly because I couldn't move, and listened out for any physical trace of the other three standing no less than ten meters from me.

My jewel was tucked quiet safely back between my bosoms, and that's the way they where going to stay – hopefully, unless I am about to get raped. In that case, I'll see them all in Hell, I thought childishly, an impish grin spreading across my face.

Daemonar huffed angrily. "Do you even know where you've ventured off too?! Luckily your mess of destruction was easy to follow, Dia. And to think you walked off with a stranger in the middle of the _woods_!"

My eyebrows knitted together as I felt a pang of anger. I'm not about to go rape _her _if that's what he meant. Fortunately for him I'm not into any of that sort of stuff, but Kalan said it would only be a matter of time. Kalan! Oh no!

I swore, and louder than I was meant to. I felt the three other moves so they were standing behind me, in between Claudia and me. I bit down on my tongue, cursing myself for forgetting Kalan. He probably thinks I've wondered off on him, and he's either going to be very mad or very upset once I get back to him; depends on where he was hiding and for how long.

Oh, my poor ickle brother!

I spread my hidden wings slowly, as not to alert anyone, although I think I was moving them to fast; I could here every move they made, but maybe because I'm concentrating on them so hard. My feet still felt glued down into the earth, so I probed the area to discover Craft – Red Jewelled – holding me in place. Thankfully, I could escape from it, but the person who cast the spell would notice instantly.

"It's not _my_ fault I want to get away from a group of males who watch my every move! You guys don't even let me into any of your games! 'Go explore' he says, 'See the world' another says! Well I _did _and _she's _the first girl my age I've actually _talked_ with for more than an hour – everyone else goes on and on about 'that one's looks' and 'his abbs'!" I heard Claudia snap, and I suddenly connected one with one and got the outcome – Daemonar must be her brother, and the three behind me must be friends, attractive and who she was talking about.

Hate to break up their conversation (or argument, I thought glumly), but I did anyway. I broke the Red Jewelled spell around my ankle at the same time I pushed my wings down and dropped the sight shield on my wings; I was sent soaring into the sweet blue sky, the-

Hey!

Something wrapped around my ankle and weaved its way around and up my leg like string, or a growing plant. With a thrust it pulled me violently down, and I had no choice but to oblige; spreading my wings would either snap them at the should because of the friction verses gravity, or be scrapped on the twigs and branches as I fell to the ground.

I hit the ground, landing painfully on my bottom, facing the five standing in front of me. I felt furious; I helped her and her companions _rip_ me out of the sky for my reward?! I glared daggers at the five in front of me.

One, presumably Daemonar, was an Eyrien with dark, black, burly wings and a sun kissed tan. His golden eyes spelt the message that he was hazardous, white his sooty black hair that fell over his eyebrows seemed to tell me two things; he was attractive and a bad boy.

The one closest to me had fiery red curly hair with matching leafy green eyes that confirmed intelligence and mischief. With his golden tanned skin he looked loyal, loveable and Scelt.

The one next to him had white blonde hair that looked almost metallic. He had pointy ears with emerald green eyes that made him look tough and deadly. With all of these traits and his pale skin marked him De al Mon.

The fourth male had luxuriously gorgeous brown locks; sun kissed skin and bright blue eyes – probably a mixed breed. He looked beautiful and untouchable.

All four of the men where powerfully built, Warlord Princes and around the age of fifteen to twenty. Joy.

I felt two of them dancing towards to killing edge, with Claudia well hidden from my view. I grinded my teeth together, spread my wings to make myself look huge and glared emotionlessly at them. My bottom and leg felt to be throbbing; it felt like I'd broken something. I had hit a tree on the violent way down, and so my check was stinging from the cut that was now there.

Claudia's face stuck around to look at me, her face saying she was confused, annoyed and scared. I glared at her and as a consequence got a snarl, a male on the killing edge, daggers sent my way and the summon of three deadly weapons.

Suddenly two giant paws were in front of me, white fur rubbing against the top of my hair and a body so large that my wings were forced down. A low rumble echoed through the woods as I hissed at the body over me.

Kalan was on the killing edge, dangerous, deadly and any push the wrong way could result in everyone's death; he had, after all, an Ebon-Grey Jewel, but my temper was dangling by a thread.

"Kalan." I growled warningly. I felt one of the two-legged males back from the killing edge as I sat under the giant tiger. Well, he's not a tiger.

*Elayn, stay there.* Kalan'drios growled to me. I narrowed my eyes and, ignoring what he said, slipped out from under him. *_Elyan_.* He snarled, keeping his eyes on the other males. "Oh go sit on a snake." I muttered, undiscouraged from the fact that I wanted to move and he wasn't going to do anything about it. I felt an Ebon-Grey shield go around Kalan and myself, as he turned his body into an attack position.

My head turned instinctively when something appeared in the corner of my eye, then again, and again until twelve other people had suddenly appeared from what seemed to literally be the Darkness. I threw three more shields up and moved behind Kalan so I was protecting him from rear attacks. I looked around at the people and Kindred, hearing a growl low in Kalan's throat.

"Mother, Aunts and Uncles." Claudia said, in a shaky but commanding voice.

I glared around and with a hiss, said, "Shit little brother, what did we get ourselves into?"

We were like a sandwich – Kalan and I stuck between two halves – Apparently discovering aid in the middle of nowhere was seen as danger to these people, these high ranked people, and I could only sense five. Trying to leave wasn't the smartest move on my part, putting their stereotype to the test, and worse when Kalan appeared from seemingly nowhere. All these seemed to prove to these people that we were a threat to their children, their women and their family. I was confused, dreadfully pissed and angry.

I felt lightheaded, my leg felt numb yet agonizingly and I watched apprehensively as twelve or so people added to those around us; it was a wonder I couldn't sense any of them before hand, even if they weren't under a sight shield. There were eight on two-legs; all looking like they could be the parents, which I guessed they were. There were three Kindred: Two medium sized dogs and a tiger – an actual tiger, not whatever enormous breed Kalan'drios was.

The inside of my skull felt like it was dancing, causing me horrendous amounts of pain, and I grinded my resilient teeth together to keep myself fully concentrated.

But that all changed as everything blurred, I felt myself aggressively swaying, and the ground turned murky as it rushed towards me.

**What's happened?! Oh my goose!**

**Please Review for me – even if its comments, ideas or insults. Though insults aren't exactly what I was aiming for... :) I'll give you all a cookie if you review ^.^**

**From,**

**~~ToySoldier~~**


	3. A different perspective

**Heyy : ) Thanks for the review Ephona; made my day ^.~ **

**So, my little peoples, I am now going to show Claudia's view of meeting Elayn and Kalan'drios's view on that whole situation as well. Hope you all like it! By the way; is it Mr Beal or is it spelt differently...?**

**Claudia's POV**

Of course I wasn't lost.

What rubbish.

What utter nonsense!

I grew up here...or around here... and I've probably been here one hundred times with the guys! Well, to be honest _they _always left me at The Keep and _I_ always followed them on their monthly camp out's. Just because one time when I was young I caused a rather large explosion when they left me in the middle of a forest, leaves them no right to leave me alone in The Keep, with the only company for me are my mother's First Circle, the Kindred, my completed school work and a bunch of Mrs Beal's cookies.

That's not fair and they know it! One mistake and those four never let me _near_ the forest...Ugh! Men! Thinking I get lost easy...Stupid thinking I am too 'un coordinated'! I'll show them un coordinated...when I find them.

Because I'm not lost.

So, _maybe_, I took a wrong turn when I was trying to keep the boyo's in view; maybe they put sight shields up? But I couldn't be lost...I mean...that bush looks familiar. But the bush looks the same as the bush twenty minutes back. Darn it! Mother Night, why did the Darkness make all bushes looks the same?!

This is so stupid...!

I tripped over an unexposed root and fell flat on my face. I lay there for the moment, looking angrily at the tree's thick roots with pure in annoyance and letting the sting on my face pass. My hair was a mess; I had dirt in places I've never wanted dirt before. And I'm simply not lost. I can't be – this is Ebon Askavi.

But, if I am lost I must think ahead. Who was it that said that 'If everything seems a dream, then act as if it's real life, for if it is real life, then you have lost nothing, and if it is a dream, then you're sure to wake up' ? I think I read it somewhere while faking to be listening to Kian; a Kindred wolf. He was talking about puppy things – he is, after all, only eight weeks old.

I pushed myself up shakily with my sore arms and lifted myself up to my full high again. I shoved a fauna covered branch away from me as I continued on a trail that wasn't there.

Let's see, I thought, _if _I am lost and _if _I'm not going to find the boys soon, then I should remember Daemonar's advice: One; if you are lost look for signs of familiarity. Done and it's not helping.

Two; search until it seems two hours until sunset, and find water to drink and food to eat.

Three; climb a tree to escape predators during the night. Simple.

Four; if you have enough energy...something, something, something... Mother Night I've forgotten!

A branch that I had pulled from my imaginary path and let go, came down and slapped me hard on the back of my neck. I yelped at the stinging sensation that now weaved its way around on my skin. The force of the branch ached, and it wasn't strong enough to send me tripping, but was certainly able to send me stumbling.

I fell to my knees and my hair surrounded the whole of my head like a curtain. I breathed heavily as my heart rate spead up. I shook my face and tried to stand for the billionth time, but was pulled down.

I heard a rustling as my, or rather Reon's, overall's got caught in was felt and sounded like a bush. The leaves were as sticky as Liand's attempt of pouched eggs and the flowers dug like needles into my skin. I huffed loudly, and very annoyed, sat down. Again.

The bush decided it would be fun to attach to the whole right side on my clothes and attempt my arm, and I decided that using Craft would be too dangerous; torching the whole bush would burn all stuck to my arms too, and Grandaddy Saetan wouldn't teach me any Craft to do with fire after my 'little accident'... And worse... I gulped as guilty swealed up at the resurfaced memories...the explosion, which was my fault, had caused the vanishment of one of Natrina and Kaelas's three Arcerian kittens...No one blamed me, but all my relationships with any Arcerians were forever cut off.

_Why am I such a nuisance?!_

I sniffed as my nose became slightly runny, and focus on the bright side. There was no one out here; no one to harm me. Yet.

I tugged sideways at the bush and felt some of the plant come off, but I couldn't hold that position forever, so when I relaxed double of what I had before attached to my borrowed overall. I cursed, growled, then fell silent when I heard a female voice.

"Kalan!" it sung into the air. The voice was so... wonderful. It made me feel comfortable, like it was a familiar voice from home. It also made me freeze and feel extremely conscience of the fact that I was easy prey stuck in this stupid bush that I've never seen before; I also didn't have much of my Red Jewelled power to use because I'm so exhausted.

The person sounded extremely similar to Sabrina, from Dharo, in Jaenelle's First Circle, but I was as certain it was Sabrina as I was sure that this bush was just going to get up and explore; I just wouldn't bet my life on it, because the chances were slim.

I felt my heart beat against my chest so loudly that I believed it would give my position away, and so I willed myself closer to the bush, not that I wanted to, as to try and give myself at least _some_ cover or hide out.

I heard nothing after that, not even a wisp of movement. Maybe the person had stopped? Then, I saw the top of someone's head come into view from the edge of the tree. The female was about thirteen paces from me, and I was probably hidden from view due to the tree truck covering _her _view. The roots from the tree were so large that they covered up to her forehead in height, so whoever it was would almost be my height when I would be standing up.

"I'm going to get you...where ever you are..." The voice taunted, and as soon as those words were said I had an explosion of my own; in my stomach.

I felt fear like I'd never felt before, because I was alone – I'd always been protected by others... and worse...it's as if she knew I was here! Suddenly the boyos surrounding me didn't seem so bad.

A wave of nausea came over me when I figured that this female wasn't from The Keep or the First Circle – or even knew my parents; why would someone in their right mind be out here, in the middle of Darkness knows where?!

I tugged furiously at my overalls, suddenly desperate for the cloth to rip, the bush to release me, the boys to come, my parents to save me, and animal to shield me... something!

The wind was knocked from my lungs as two very strong hands pinned my arms to the side of me, with a small laugh and a, "Gotcha!"

I stared, wide eyed into the golden eyes of someone that looked slightly younger than me.

The girl had messy, shoulder length hair with a fringe and cut that looked like a professional had done it. She was wearing what looked like what had been a red chequered T-shirt, but had had the sleaves torn off, along with sun faded shorts. Her skin was tanned, her eyes a honey golden (which made her look unapproachable) and her hair ebon-black, marking her as one of the three long lived races. The clothes she wore showed her powerful legs, her arms, made her breast look large and her face perfect. I was awed; if she stood in the town centre... well...

She pulled a face at me and leaned backwards slightly before she was on her feet. I was frightened at the thoughts that ran through my head at what she could do to me. Lucivar's training courses flashed through my head like lightning; they were of no use to me when I was stuck like this to a stupid bush. So, Saetan's lessons ran through me head; Craft.

I sent my spell entwined with my Birthright Jewel, Opal, at the girl. The spell was _supposed_ to seem dangerous, but only stun the humanoid while it figures out their Jewel Rank. Very helpful. At the same time, I spun an Opal shield around me and watched.

She raised her hand and I thought she was about to send out a spell of her own, when my spell collided with her – finger first.

And it was gone.

The girl wasn't frozen or stunned, she didn't show any fear and I got no information about her Jewel Rank. I was transfixed; did I not send my spell out right? Did it even hit her? One of my questions was seemingly answered as she threw up a Summer-Sky shield. A _sane _person would only ever put up a shield that would only ever be three Rank's below their own Jewel, unless it's a public area, were not many wear shields up, thinking they'd be safe. It was mad, in the conditions we were in, _not _to put up your strongest shield, although I sort of have an excuse, because few wear a Red Jewel and over so I could probably defeat her _if _I had the energy.

So unless there was a horde of Blood behind her, there was a very low change that she would favour in a battle, _if _she was sane and _if_ she really was Summer-Sky Jewelled. Even if she wasn't, then the highest she could probably be would be Green Jewelled, again, that's if she was sane.

"You should watch where you are treading in these woods, my lady. I'm afraid this isn't the safest place in the three realms." She said in such a polite voice, it was as if she thought she was treading on ice. I felt a pinch of anger; of course I knew that – if it _was _the safest place in the three realms, then the boyo's wouldn't go camping here.

"Yes, I am quite aware of that, thank-you, but I mistook you for somebody else. Sorry for any disturbance in the...thing you were doing." I threw her a fake smile, trying to look sophisticated, before trying to get up from my laying down position – maybe that would detach the plant from me?

She nodded a small nod, half turning around, before I noticed she was looking at me from the corner of her eye. I looked away from her and tugged furiously at the weed thingy bush.

I heard her sigh lightly, before her shadow fell over me. I stopped what I was doing and looked up at her towering over me. She returned the smile and reached her hand over my head. Her arm pressed against my ear lightly as I was stuck between her and the plant, and I was wondering what the hell she was doing.

She grunted and the bush vanished from sight like someone pulling a plug from a bath tub. "Thanks." I muttered, unsure why no one had told me about these plants, and why she seemed to know what to do with them. I came to a conclusion: she gathered and stored information like my mother and probably live next to the forest as well, giving her knowledge of the environment around her.

She leaned away from me and gave me a good look over, and I felt like blushing, although I'd grown up not doing so around the boys; it was like she was looking me over like a piece of meat!

"Are you lost?" she asked me, again polite. I almost snickered. Instead, I gave a dry laugh. "Of course I'm not." Although it came out sounding like I was talking to myself, not her.

I saw her start to turn and she said lightly, "If you're not lost, then I'm sure I can leave you here then? If that's the case, than nice...meeting you." Meeting me? More like pouncing on me. No, that's no problem or anything; she _did _help me out of that bush... but how many more of those stupid bushes will I be caught in before I reach The Keep?

"Okay, okay I'm lost." I sighed; clearly annoyed. This was just not my day.

I saw fron the top of my eyes that she had extended her hand, and I felt unsure whether to take it. I could feel that there would be a big change if I did, although I was worried whether it was good or bad. When I did take it, she pulled me up so hard I felt as if I was going to go crashing into her. She pulled me up as fast as Lucivar would have, and just as strongly.

I was so close to her face, I was stunned and fearful that she was going to kiss me. Thank the Darkness my thoughts vanished as quickly as they came when she let go of my hand and took a step backwards. "Sorry." She apologized.

"You're strong." I noted, being very pleased and comfortable with this notion; it reminded me of the boyos. Maybe she isn't as bad as I thought she would be.

**Kalan'drios's POV**

Elayn was taking lots of blinks to find me. I should remember this place for next time, in case she never finds me. It was a place she would miss, because it would be silly for me to be here; I'm in a tree.

Sort of. I am using lots of Craft to hold myself up on the third highest branch of a very small tree; Elayn would never check here and I would be the winner. It is very hard to be a winner at this game because there is a very low chance either of us would give up Hide and Tag; we're both naturally competitive. No one has ever given up the chase of Hide and Tag before and today should be the first, and Elayn would forever be annoyed with the fact that I can hide better than her.

Kindred _should _naturally be better at hiding from two-leggers anyway, but Elayn was different. I remember barely anything before Elayn found me, and she could only tell me what she had witnessed. All _I _could remember was the voice in my head that told me to hide from the black fire.

I had chosen to live with Elayn at first, because I thought it would be safe, but over the months she taught me about the dangers of strangers, and my view on her had shifted. She treated me kindly though, and I almost ran away more than four times, but I knew that if I did I would have nowhere to run. Then, Elayn's moon times started, and I felt protective of her. So I stayed.

My eye lids dropped dramatically as I waited for my kin to find me. I heard something that sounded like a branch slapping skin, then a yelp, to the right of me. I didn't turn to look; it was probably some dumb animal, and even worse, a Landen. This would not help me in my game of Hide and Tag if I was to turn, give myself away, and never be overall champion of Elayn in Hide and Tag.

There was a shift of soil, rocks and twigs and I immediately suspected the change of a walk to a trip. An animal that is being worn out, perhaps? There was a violent change of noise as the thing sounded like it had gotten caught in some sort of plant after a clatter of stones, proving I was right that whatever it was had tripped. It'd probably fallen near or into one of the common weed bushes around here.

I was tempted to turn and growl as the rustling noise continued for about eight seconds before it stopped, and I heard a huff. Seconds later, there was a sniff of a runny nose, and I was starting to get my doubts on this animal being small or smart.

Any animal with half a tiny fish brain could smell and note that common weed bushes are _not_ to be touched. There was more rustling before one of Elayn's curses (that she had forbidden me to use) was voiced and a quiet dull growl. I suddenly had an epiphany; this was no animal.

It was either the dumb Landens, or better yet, one of Elayn's type; Blood. It would be fun to scare it.

I've come to notice that around, well, everywhere, there are few Blood over then Jewel Rank Green. I start to wonder daily why Elayn and I are so different; I'm Ebon-Grey, and she's Grey.

I, of course, am more powerful, but the aura around Elayn suggested otherwise. She told me that she had grown up abused and cursed at for being a bastard's daughter (whatever that is), and had grown passive and immune to abusive behaviour. When her mother died, she had spent almost a year alone (I shuddered at the thought) and had grown into her new dominance of the house hold.

Overall, Elayn is kind, gentle and truthful, but when pushed she is ruthless, powerful and uncontrollable. And I love her for her that.

I felt strange, like I was being watched, and turned my head slightly to the right of me, when I suddenly froze.

"Kalan!" My given name was called, echoing around the forest. I stayed perfectly still, and watched, flat against the tree branch, as Elayn came into view. She was wearing her old checked shirt with its sleeves gnawed off by the puppies, and her almost white shorts.

I became at still as the tree, observing Elayn's movements as she stalked where I had been; she's good. Elayn came to a halt below the tree I was in, and I was straining to see and hear her. I saw, from the corner of my eye, her hand brush over the tree as she bent down to look at something. I mentally shrugged, but felt an explosion of smugness and glee as she continued to walk away from me.

"I'm going to get you...where ever you are..." she taunted, but to no one. I almost gave myself away by laughing; what a human emotion. Elayn's two-legged traits are starting to get to me.

The Landen/animal started going berserk; whatever it was that was stuck in the mere common weed bush had decided that this would be a great time to panic, and the noise was coming from where it had come from beforehand – between myself and Elayn.

Elayn spun around and crouched, and in a motion of blur she pounced. The next thing I heard was the impact of her pounce and a loud "Gotcha!" (Which, of course, she hadn't).

I raised myself slightly; not so much to give myself away but enough to see what was happening.

I almost laughed...again. Elayn had landed on a rather frightened looking Blood women; and with Elayn's sight shield over her they looked almost related. She jumped off the women, who looked almost the same age as her.

I stood up suddenly horrified, as an Opal spell was sent at my Blood-sister. I willed myself not give my position away, for strategy and Hide and Tag reasons. I felt suddenly edgy as I watched the spell fly towards her in what seemed slow motion, my mind racing ahead.

_Of course if it hit Elayn, she would survive; there was only one low ranked woman against Elayn and me. Of course, Elayn doesn't know that. The woman doesn't know that either._

_If I made sure Elayn was safe, and then came back here, then I would be saving my part-sister and still be winning the game of Hide and Tag. It's...what did she call it...a win-win situation? Probably. _

Elayn did was I would have – she cancelled the spell. I noticed that the woman had put up an Opal Jewelled shield, but I felt that she wasn't what she seemed. I felt sort of drawn to her... No!

I snarled in my mind at the mere thought of _that_.

I am _not _drawn to a mere Blood female that I have never met before. That is wrong. That is insane. I am Kalan'drios – Elayn's kin-brother and I will _not _be drawn to a female that is unknown to me. She must be a witch with a spell on her! No I will no will to her just because I am drawn to her.

I stood a statue on the branch; watching. My ears stayed on edge, listening to everything as I watched the conversations between the two. It was easy to tell that the women Elayn had met was higher than an Opal Jewel; it was also easy to tell she was also very alone, lost, scared, jealous and frustrated. I watched her with caution and the itch to shield Elayn was driving me to my personal limits.

I was riding towards the killing edge very easily as I could do nothing; giving myself away would ruin a perfectly good hiding spot which had taken weeks to find, and I was not willing to give that up. Not yet, anyway.

The women smelt of males. Lots of males... or maybe that was something else in the air. It didn't feel right; I felt like I was being watched, although I had a shield over me, and even my own adoptive-sister didn't notice me. It felt horrible...a deep feeling in the pit of my stomach.

My ear twitched as I heard the sound of distant foots on the ground; the thing was close but heading away from us. I dismissed the notification and watched as my sister and her follower walked into the Western direction of a nearby road. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise as a feeling washed over me, and for a split second I saw a flash of a person not two meters from Elayn.

I rose till I was almost at the killing edge, and I willed myself to calm down. Tighten the leash: that's what the wolves had told me. I used air walk to run over my quickly disappearing sister, pausing briefly over where I had seen the flash of the person, and sniffed. There was no smell, and nothing there to see.

I turned slightly to my right, as if knowing someone was there, but all I saw was a tree. I snarled lightly and charged after the two females who had vanished from my sight, giving me the creeps.

Catching up with them seemed like child play; the older woman walked a lot slower than Elayn's usual walking speed. I felt on edge at everything; jumpy at the slightest movement, and even restless as Elayn took a wrong turn. My senses where stretched to the limits as I was sure there was someone following us.

The woman, who soon identified herself as 'Claudia', was as slow as a turtle in Elayn's peanut butter, and half way there complained about Elayn's speed. It took everything in me not to bat her on the head with my paw, even if it _was _playful.

My sister's wrong turn took her in a completely different direction; this was territory we had only explore two, maybe three times, so she couldn't have memorised everything. My pre-guess was that she would head for the nearest road, wind or town. I remembered that there was a road with a Rose Jewelled wind over it, so I estimated that they would head there.

I ran a head, and realised the problem before Elayn must have even began to think about it; we weren't were she had intended to go.

There was a road: A road that I had seen before hand, but in a different territory, and if Elayn had of remembered or noticed that that road wasn't a public one like she thought it may have been, then she wouldn't have gone anywhere near it.

And there was a wind: A Grey Jewelled wind, intended for all those ranked Grey-Jewelled and up.

We were on private property, next to a Grey Jewelled wind, and on someone's land. There was a giant castle that towered in the distance, but I could just see it, and I was air walking. Elayn rounded the corner some distance away from me. But... _Elayn! _

I have to warn Elayn...!

I heard the frequent drumming of wings nearby, and snarled as an Eyrien passed me. He turned his head slightly towards me, but by the time his slow two-legged movement had done that, I was racing down to the ground.

I was three feet from Elayn, her back turned away from the couple (who where greeting each other and speaking of Elayn as if she wasn't there), when I felt something like a wire wrap around my hind legs and send me meeting the ground face first.

I lay still as something cold and sharp dug against the side of my neck. Teeth? A weapon?

"Stay still and I won't kill you." An ice cold voice whispered into my right ear. It twitched in response but I lay still, confused. Then, I blacked out.

***

I opened my eyes drowsily and looked through the slits of my eyelids. I could hear my heart thudding loudly in my ears, and saw everything as one colourful blur. I blinked several times, things getting clearer.

Someone was standing on the ground... Four males... Two females... Blood. _Blood. Female_ blood. This is bad; males _protect_ females... I must protect...

Must protect... sister....

My vision snapped suddenly, everything seeming detailed one hundred times its usual. I could hear like never before – hearing past the distant trees and hearing the sing-songs of bluebirds. I could taste my blood in my mouth.

But the worst of all, I could _smell_ my sister. My sisters' blood, spilling onto the ground like water. I could smell the males, two riding the killing edge.

I felt myself plunge into the Abyss, gather my full strength and glide back up. My legs obeyed with hidden power as I stood up with grace and circled around to back my sister. I watched the males' movements, feeling dominant and deadly.

Claudia's face peeked over one of the males' shoulders, and Elayn looked up at her, sending a look of daggers her way.

One of the males, the one with white hair, rose to the killing edge; and I rose to meet him. The power filled me, making all my body feel light and agile. The power surged through my like water into a bucket; trees around me froze over as I faced the new opponents.

The threats to the female.

Everything has a price, and attacking my kin has it's.

Every male here must die. Must protect the females.

Protect _my_ female.

I vanished my sight shield and roared ferociously at the idiots who hurt to my sister.

**Should I do the next Chapter Daemonar's, explaining a lot of what is hidden in this text (a.k.a – Kalan'drios doesn't just trip over 3ft from Elayn), or go back to Elayn's POV?**

**Please Review and tell me if you like it :)**

**~~ToySoldiers~~**


	4. The Nightmare, The Dream and The Waking

**Thanks Children-of-the-Blood, Cutemouse-Evilsqueak, JDot940, Elah and Abeytu for reviewing on my last chapter and thanks all to those who added me for Story Alert, etc. : ) I now have pictures of Elayn and Kalan'drios up on my profile, looking close to what I sorta see in my head. Sorry for the delay – I typed up this Chapter at my dads, and sadly forgot to post it, so I have to rewrite it all over again at mums! Elah, just so you are forward, this story will have a few POV's to start with but after this Chapter I plan to keep it to Elayn.**

**Enjoy peeps – and review ;)**

**Dustie's POV**

The forest seemed to have blue blush to it; it was entirely different to what I am use to, let alone The Pack. Nights here are different to what we are use to too; everything's silent as the Forever Caves. It scared me, and it scared the pack. I have to remain calm though, as to not alarm my Pack even more and send us into havoc.

I bent down and sniffed deeply at the Redwood tree. It was scented with the scents of an unkown Queen, and a male. I bared my teeth and growled softly. We, my Consort Darkfang and I, had noticed for the past few days we were being followed by an unknown pack, probably this territories'.

Although we were passing through, I had my doubts about us being left alone by this territories pack of Kindred wolves. The Pack and I had though this territory to be smaller than ours, therefore the pack small; we only knew the extent of our own turf. There was an unwritten rule that was passed by the Elders to the Queens, therefore the pack: Stay to your own territory.

It was simple enough, but we have a reason for trespassi-

-someone nipped the back of my neck affectionately, but interrupting my thoughts. I tilted my head to see Darkfang, his muzzle very close to mine.

*Stop worrying. You're making _me_ worried.* Darkfang nuzzled my lower jaw lightly as I gave him a roll of my eyes. Darkfang _always_ worries, and I love him for that. I turned my head from him and sat back on my hind legs as I watched the sleeping pack. Half the pack was here, and the other half was behind at our territory, making sure no other packs move over to claim it in our absence.

It gave me the shivers to see our pack divided, but I knew the young and old that were left behind would take care and nurture the land. My attention was for this half of the pack, the ones that were fit to travel.

Huddled together in a sleeping puddle was a group of about eleven wolves, all having the identical dust of colour down their spines that marked them as one from our Pack. I watched as one turned over in his sleep, his coat glowing the unusual blue glow that seemed to illuminate from nowhere. I miss the orange forests, I thought glumly. At least when its night time it doesn't give off a hackle razing glow that looks like it came from a firefly's ass.

Darkfang chuckled throatily, and I realised I must have said that thought aloud. Annoyed, I frowned at him and curled my tail over my delicate paws. I raise my nose high and inhaled the fresh night scents that surrounded us.

Just then, I heard a snapping of a twig. My ears cocked in the direction, my head whizzing around seconds after. As I stared at the place for a split second, transfixed, all I saw were two dark, round lake blue eyes staring at me from the darkness. Darkfang let out a howl next to me at the same moment, and we both jumped to the safety of our Pack, throwing up our Summer-sky and Purple Dusk shields in union, just as sleek black and grey wolves pounced from undergrowth around us, seemingly out of the very ground itself, to circle us.

My eyes widened in wonder – how had we not heard anything? I let my Pack sleep, and there were dangerous wolves not meters from them?! What sort of Queen am I...?

Luckily, The Pack jumped up as if they were all fake sleeping, and more shields came around us as we managed to pull into a tight circle.

The other pack came meters from the protective shield surrounding us, snapping and clawing at air like the shield meant nothing. My Pack was calm, as I had taught them, and looking out for holes in our defensive, although I'm not sure how long it would be before The Pack's composure starts to disintegrate.

I hastily numbered the feral Kindred pack surrounding us, noting they severely outnumbered us by many more than our half-a-pack. I watched out, flicking through the wolves mentally again, trying to pick-out the Queen.

Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed foreign colours and swung my head over to lock gazes with two deep, dark blue eyes that seemed to hold the Big Ponds. She stood out from our Packs – while hers were all colours of black to grey, and mine were white with various colours down our spines, she was a fiery red that seemed almost paranormally Two-Legged. Around her ankle, enclosed in Thick Grasses that were springing bright pink flowers, was an uncut Opal Jewel, that matched everything different about her.

A huge black wolf seeming twice her size appeared next to her, himself looking like a shadow of the Darkness. The wolves around us calmed down dramatically, as if their feral sides had vanished. I instantly knew this was the Queen and her Consort.

*Lady.* She crooned softly to me, not even bothering to bow formally from her perch on the hill in front of us. She didn't even call off her Pack, which was a sign of disrespect. I raise my head highly and shook my moonlit fur and tried to hold down the growl forming in my throat; this was no time to start a war. Not went we are looking for lost Kin.

*We are just passing through, Sister.* I said in my more dignified tone reserved for Runts like her, *Looking for lost Kin.*

*You've been passing through for days... besides, if any of your Kin would have passed through, I'm _sure_ we would have been... notifided.* She comforted me sourly, looking up at her Consort, who in turn nodded at her. I caught the message and felt a swell of disgust; they would have killed any wolves other than their own, but would they kill a Big Tiger and a Two-legger?

*We are looking for two of our missing Kin, and since they were last scented near your territory, we suspected they must be near here. Could we have your authorization to pass through, Lady?* I asked her kindly, trying to sway her to come to an agreement. I knew all too well what would happen if she said no.

There was a sudden uproar of disproval from her Pack at my words, but she kept her firm blue gaze with me, and waited until her Pack was silent once more. *Unfortunately I-* she started, but was cut off from a maniac laugh that echoed around us.

My hackles raised uncontrollably, my instincts screaming that we flee, but I stood my ground and searched the forests, worried as soon as the Runt Queens' Pack did the same. Whatever that came from wasn't from my Pack, and it wasn't from hers...

*Oh the irony!* A female voice bellowed from the darkness and I spun my head around wildly, trying to find the threat so I could protect my Pack.

I could feel my Pack starting to fret under the circumstances. Worried that we were going to lose our hold, I sent a calm, soothing touch just to the outside of each members of my Pack's innerbarriers. Members instantly damped the scared feelings that were stirring in them, and I was glad I seemed to be more in control of my pack then the other Queen's.

*Show yourself to our eyes!* roared a powerful male voice, though I ignored it, I knew it came from the Runt Queens Consort.

* Oh, but of course.* the sarcastic voice sounded very young, but the body that came out of the woods darkness was anything but.

The wolf seemed to suck the darkness from around it, making it look just as terrifying as Nightmares themselves while the glowing blue haze reflected off the fur here and there, leaving blue streaks. The fangs of the beast seemed extra long in the unnatural glow and the claws looked like those of death. She had bright blue eyes, matching the moonlight, but looking as intelligent, fierce and dangerous of those of the Elders. The Lady-Beast was in a stance that meant she was in control, and my ears flattened against my skull as I smelt her sent of Death.

Her physical sent was so full of power it was enough to make me wheeze and splutter, though I could contain it, members of both Packs buried their noses in different objects to rid of the smell.

There was no movement, and no sound as the wolf just grinned slyly at the Consort of the other Packs Queen. I observed, not looking away from her, until she in turn came to look at me. *Your Kin has not passed through here, though you _are_ going in the right direction. Be warned though, I don't know what to expect.*

I nodded, not seeming to be able to breathe. I opened my mouth, once, twice before I finally managed to say something. *Thank-you.* Although this meant no passage of safety, it meant we were one paw closer to finding Mother Sister Elayn and Protector Big Tooth Kalan.

She grinned at me before spinning around and starting to walk back into the forest. *I think it's safe to say Fireblood and Deathpaw's pack will leave you alone now, don't you? Ahhh how I _love_ the sound of bickering!* The Lady-beast cackled as she walked off, seeming to talk to herself, although deep down in my bones I knew she had heard what I was thinking. She seemed as sleek...so powerful as the Darkness... Was that the Darkness in another form?

But then, what have I done to deserve such an honour?

I stared after her, aghast, before turning around, back to the Queen who the Lady-beast had called 'Fireblood', and her Consort who I presume is 'Deathpaw'.

But when I turned around, feeling my Pack hum with relief...

...No one from the other pack was there.

**Damarlon's POV**

I'm Damarlon; Son of Aaron from Dharo and Kalush from Nharkhava; I'm a Sapphire Jewelled, 16 year old Warlord Prince.

So why in Hell am I getting my pride soiled on by these two idiots?

"Don't worry Damarlon, I only have to put my _cute _pink bow in your hair, then put make-up on you, _then_ you can go." Emina assured me, patting the top of my brown locks of hair that had recently been pulled into two high pigtails and sprayed with hair spray.

"Yeah, you'll look _so_ beautiful." Jaeline, my pain-in-the-butt ten year old sister, chocked while cracking a grin. The hair pulling and nail filing stopped for a moment as the two girls exploded into fits of laughter, holding their chests as tears spilled out the corners of their eyes.

"It may be your birthday," I growled at her, "But that doesn't mean I have to sit here and endure this humiliation all day. I'm leaving in ten minutes to go to my sparring practice, so take your fun while it lasts." I waited, hoping that they would both stop laughing at my words like I was sure they would, but was taken by surprise when they both simply laughed harder.

Jaeline fell onto the floor, somehow still managing to hold the nail polish brush away from her body while it dripped beads of pink onto the ebony coloured carpet. I couldn't see Emina because I was on the edge of her bed, and she was behind me (Although I could hear her laughter as ring out in a _ah ah ah _tune...). Emina and Jaeline's strange actions towards my threatening words were enough to make me think them over again. _Carefully_.

"You somehow convinced Lucivar to cancel today's sparring practice, didn't you?" I groaned, collapsing my head into my hands. I'd been trying to convince him ever since I'd started at the age of nine...and yet the one day I want to do it, what does he do? He leaves me with the most evil two sisters to walk the realms! I dug my fingers into my forehead at my stupidity.

"No!" Jaeline yelped suddenly sitting up and ripping my hands away from my face. I wasn't prepared, but my warriors training kept me on the bed while I otherwise would have been sent flying forwards.

"What'd you do?!" Emina leaned around my left arm to look at my face, and gasped at what she saw. I looked at her, then at my sister, both who were looking at me with stunned faces. Emina suddenly launched into a fit of giggles as I stood up and marched stiffly over to the body length mirror.

I groaned as I saw what I had accidently done horribly wrong and leaned in close to try and get it off.

"Serves you right for touching anything while your nail polish is still wet, Mister." Jaeline schooled me while her eleven year old best friend rolled around on the bed laughing.

I mumble inappropriate things under my breath that I would be given extra sparring for, just as I attempted to pick the drying pick nail polish off my fore head.

Jaeline came over and grinned at me. "Even though you have nail polish on your face, you still have to let us finish our makeover, Damarlon."

I scowled at her in the mirror.

"You made us do chores on your birthday, and to make things fair after Aunt Gabrielle found out how you were using us, she came up with this; since we did that, you spend a _loving _day with us on our birthdays. Or have you forgotten?" She chilled me, after pointing out what was so obvious.

This was Jaeline's birthday... Mother Night I'd hate to see Emina's; being Daemonar's sister takes its toll.

I hit my head repeatedly on the mirror in defeat. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I looked up at myself in the mirror.

I had two giant high pig tails in my hair, held there by the two brightest pink bows I've ever seen; lipstick was everywhere on my chest were the two devils had decided to try their 'skills' from their art lessons on me; hot pink nail polish was more on my face than on the nails; I was in pink slippers and along with all this, dark smudges above my eyelids proved that the girls had somehow gotten Claudia's eye liner horribly wrong.

I paused for a moment...Claudia's eye liner... oh that traitor!

I lifted my head up and looked over at the two girls giggling at me from a far, Jaeline half hiding behind her closet. "Don't kill me!" she squealed, and I knew she'd guessed what I was thinking.

"Claudia helped you with this, didn't she?" I asked, swearing black and blue when Emina hid under the blankets and burst out laughing, while my sister hid behind the closet. I connected the puzzle.

"They're _all_ outside this door aren't they?" I groaned loudly, pulling at the bows in my hair, trying to rid of them. My efforts went to an embarrassing waste - It was too late.

As soon as I mentioned the word 'door' it flung open as if saying the word had magically opened it. I dived so I was behind the roof to floor mirror when my best friends walked in. I ripped the bows out, even though the hair stayed in place, just as a hand reached around the mirror and pulled me out and up.

Daemonar's wicked grin stretched his face to the limits. "Oh I'm sorry. Did we _interrupt_ something?"

Emina's howls of laughter came from the bed, following Jaeline's from behind the closet seconds after each other. I looked over Daemonar's shoulder to see the rest of the 'gang'; Reon, Morgahann and Khardeen's son was chuckling behind his fist; Liand, Chaosti and Gabrielle's son, was grinning at me; and Claudia, Daemon and Jaenelle's daughter had a very odd face, and I knew she was trying not to laugh.

"Traitors." I said, with half the seriousness it was suppose to have as I cracked a grin.

And suddenly the room was filled with uncontrollable laughter, just as I felt Aunt Jaenelle walk into the room. "It seems the mystery girl has awoken." She said with a sudden glint in her eye.

**Elayn's POV**

I shot up as I was awoken from the horribly real nightmare. Sweat drenched me from head to toe as I sat, frozen as ice, looking at my toes that seemed so far away. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and opened them again, the picture still in my mind.

The nightmare seemed so real, along with the scene that overtook me as it ended. Too real for any nightmare I'd ever had... it seemed as if it was actually happening; I was a wolf. Dustie and Darkfang's pack was there, and I remember saying something to them before walking off... as I walked off though, my skin melted into blood...

So much blood... I shuddered and looked to my right, seeing a wooden table with a glass of water on it. I was so thirsty that I leaned over instinctively, stretching my arm as I did, before the realisation hit me; Where am I?

My breathing hitched as I looked around the room. The walls were as tall as one and a half of my old house's ones, and the width of the room was almost the size of my lounge room, so were ever I was it was _big_.

Both walls, floor and ceiling were made of a stone that seemed to store a dark power within itself. I was in a single bed that had about twelve plain sheets – that explains the hot sweat, along with the cold sweat from my nightmare. There were a few desks with draws spread randomly around the room, along with a walls worth of chairs.

So, there must have been lots of visitors, I thought glumly.

Next to the water on the bedside desk were various types of bowls, all of which had some sort of substance that looked like old green mushy soup. Yuk. I looked over at the window that was spilling the morning/afternoon light though it, and tried to peek a look out.

As I tried though, a pain that felt staggeringly cold pierced through my left leg. I winced and bit my lip. It was like I was having a brain freeze in my leg! Once the pain passed, I let go of my bleeding lip and through the blankets of my leg, not daring to move it.

Nothing seemed different, so, confused, I rolled my right leg out of bed, my left tilting a little like I thought it would.

Mother Night and May the Darkness be Merciful!

_My leg_!

The whole back of it was a horribly ugly scar that started from my ankle and ended in between my thigh and the back of my knee. I gulped as I ran my finger over it. My whole finger's warmth felt like a hot iron to my ice cold leg.

Horror-struck, I wiggled my toes, and felt a tad bit of relief that I could do so.

I threw the blankets onto the floor and testily moved my injured leg. What in Hell had happened? Seeing as my leg only felt hallow now that I moved it, I carefully pulled it over to the edge of the bed and off so I was now sitting on the edge of my bed.

I shuddered at the sudden cold and crawled horizontally across the edge of my bed till I reached the end. Getting up seemed like a bad idea, so I stuck my head over the rail at the end of my bed to see if I could get a better glimpse of the outside world I was so use to.

Nope. All I could see it the blue sky, and unless a mythical dragon or something' flies past, then I'm not going to be so interested. I sighed, and looked at the door. I _could_ hop around, but not only would that be embarrassing but I wouldn't get far. I looked down...and...Oh a chest!

I studied the huge wooden chest that seemed to be at the end of the bed, but actually went a bit under. Curiosity took control so I shifted in position so I could kick it out from under the bed with my good leg. When it was out, I noticed there was a lock on it. I huffed and reached for it, finding was unlocked.

Spinning it around I throw open the lid and looked at the contents of the chest as a jolt of confusion turned to horror. My mouth opened into an 'O' shape as I stared, transfixed at the objects.

They were mine!

_My_ knifes, _my_ Jewels, _my_ clothes - everything... but these had all been vanished and I hadn't summoned half of these since I vanished them...

It felt like someone had punched me in the gut – I couldn't breathe.

I didn't know how the person had reached passed my innerbarriers and accessed these... I don't even know if that's possible...

But there they were... _my_ positions...

I crawled backwards away from the box of my treasures, my heart drumming as fast as I could run.

I reached out with my Grey strength and felt for my brother on this floor level.

Was he safe? Is he in this horrible place? Is he alone?

I gave up as the search seemed to drain my power too quickly, and so I sent a burst of power outwards from me, my message sent out with it, reaching more people than I had intended, one of which was hopefully Kalan'drios.

_Where is he?_

*KALAN!*

**Sorry it's not tip-top shape. I'm feeling a little tired after doing all my assignments today ;/**

**Just so everyone knows:**** Dustie's POV is to show that the wolves are looking for Elayn and Kalan'drios, Damarlon's was to introduce the Coven's children and Elayn's was to show her part in everything, because she's awesome. :-)**

**Please Review my little chickens ^.~ and I'll try and get my next Chapter up within the next week.**

**~~ToySoldiers~~**


	5. Confuzzling?

**Thanks to JDot940 for Reviewing :D Sorry you were sick – but at least you got the day off! **

**Sorry for not adding the Chapter earlier. Holidays are tiring – especially when there are four parties to go to in five days, and your parents pack the days full of stuff! *Huffs*. Oh well. Turns out my friend couldn't come over today (Something to do with her Grandparents) so I thought "Next Chapter!"**

**Anywhoos – it's sticking to Elayn, like I promised! So steal some cookies, a glass of milk and settle down comfortably for the longest Chapter so far!!**

The wooden door was slammed open and I looked desperately at the person, hoping it was Kalan, but felt a swell of fear when it wasn't. It was a woman with hair like fire and emerald green eyes to match. She looked well built, and was looking at me with wary, worried eyes.

I crawled backwards until I felt my wings touch the cold wood at the end of my bed. Now, I suddenly wished I could place a shield around myself.

"What's wrong?" she asked, searching the room with her eyes in a flash, before turning her stead gaze back to me. I felt my fear burst in my belly as she took a step towards me, and I pressed myself harder against the rail.

*Elayn?* I heard the familiar voice of my kin-brother, and was washed over with a wave of relief. I felt too drained to answer, but just knowing he was alive made me relax. The woman took another step towards me, very carefully before asking her question again.

"What's wrong?" I flashed a glance at the door, the chest and back at her. Who were these people that could summon my vanished objects? "Nothing." I gulped.

I heard rushed footsteps from outside the door before two females entered the room. One had glorious golden hair that looked like it caught and captured sunlight, with pale skin and soul-watching sapphire eyes. The other was Claudia, the girl I'd willing lead me into a trap.

I hissed between my teeth, watching her as a look of shock spread over her face, some of my fear changing into anger. The golden hair woman placed her hand lightly on the shoulder of Claudia, as if to comfort her, before turning back to me.

"I see you've met my daughter, Claudia?" She asked with a tone of consideration. I locked my jaw and watched my knee as I pulled my legs up to my body, keeping a check on my fear and temper. When I didn't answer the lady went on with an oddly comforting tone, "We need to check your leg."

I glanced under my fridge at Claudia for two seconds before concentrating on the woman. I'm not letting _her_ anywhere near my leg. "It's already fine." I muttered under my breath sourly.

The Golden haired lady frowned while the other strange lady huffed. "That tare in the skin caused you to lose a lot of blood and break several bones, and how you couldn't feel that amount of pain we have no idea. But if you don't let us properly heal it, you'll never be able to walk on that leg properly again." The fire-haired woman informed me bluntly. She was looking my leg over as if she already knew what she was going to do as soon as I said so.

The Kindred had females like this. They called their females who act a lot like this Curers, although I'm very sure that two-leggers – my type – didn't call them that. They help the males get healthy again, and are _very_ stubborn, _very_ kind and _very_ snarly.

I don't want two stubborn, snarly unknown females on my case, and I don't want to be crippled...so...

I huffed internally and stretched out my 'damaged' leg, looking at the ladies with an emotionless mask, secretly fighting the fear in my stomach, mixed with the worry of my brothers whereabouts and the control it took not to snarl at Claudia... I watched them with carefully in case they wanted to try and attack me, like I suspected they would.

_Especially _Claudia.

She watched me too, though with swift glances of which I could catch only few emotions in her eyes: Fear. Annoyance. Sadness.

I shrugged the last one off – if she was so sad she could go somewhere else and cry. Git.

The golden-haired and the fiery-haired women smothered the old looking soup from the wooden bowl onto my injured leg, their hands so hot I was having trouble keeping my leg there.

Then a voice startled me from outside the room, sounded smooth, familiar and... _Human_ male, "I wouldn't disturb them if I were you; Healers are very strict about visitors while they are healing." I clenched my teeth when the voice spoke, confused, fearful and annoyed about how people had come to be outside of my door's line of vision and I had not noticed there presence. I was usually very good at sensing everything about me...

Then, there was a _very_ familiar growl that I loved to hear when it wasn't aimed at me, and I perked my head slightly when a white ear popped around the door's line of vision, followed by a head and a massive striped body.

I dropped the cold mask as my brother came in, just fitting under the huge wooden door frame, his scars from when I found him as a cub flashing intimidatingly at me. Any other animal, (or person for this odd matter), would have thought he was going to snarl at them. I knew my brother better than that, as his enormous grin matched mine.

*Elayn! You're finished napping! The two-leggers said you were okay when you woke but were scared, but I convinced Saetan to let me in!* Kalan'drios purred happily, lying down under the entrance when the golden-haired lady gave him an odd look. Actually he blocked the whole entrance... Kalan stretched out his hand and swatted my outstretched foot with his huge paw ignoring the narrowed-eyed glares that were thrown at him. I didn't mind.

"No one would _want _to stop something that huge charging at them." The fiery-haired woman muttered while wrapping a bandage of some sort around the bottom of my ankle. I vaguely wondered who in Hell would fine that _cute_ ball of fluff scary, before Kalan's stare at me caught the attention of the chest of my things.

I gulped, my giddiness sobering a bit. Kalan saw what I was looking at, looked at it himself and back at me. *That's got your things in it.* He pointed out proudly, his mood not effected for a moment. I looked at him in horror and disbelief – doesn't he care?!

Claudia noticed.

"When we carried you in, your leg half healed,"- Kalan snarled lightly while Claudia explained –"we put you on the bed. As soon as that happened and Kalan left the room, everything just..." Claudia seemed to struggle for words at I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at the story, relief filling me up at a sort of reasonable explanation, but not showing the belief in case she was fooling me.

The fiery-haired women took over. "Everything, we think, that you hand ever vanish appeared centimetres below the roof and got dropped onto us." She said smugly, but with an amused and slightly fearful tone.

*It was funny.* Kalan growled a laugh. *The small man-bat got one of your shiny knives above him, and it dropped down inches from his nose. Every time he moved backwards he got another one dropping down on top of him. And the fire-hair boy got all your under-hides thrown on his head.* Kalan chuckled.

I tried to picture a man, like this fiery-haired woman, getting my underwear thrown on top of his head, while an Eyrien boy got deadly with knives above him. It certainly cheered me up and reassured me; Kalan doesn't lie.

This felt odd; I felt stuck between jumping on Kalan and making a run for it, and staying here and discussing leaving with Kalan at a later date.

The Healers stood up moments after each other, and the golden-haired woman grinned half-heartily at me, while the fiery-haired lady bit her bottom lip.

"It was an amazing defence; you certainly gave Papa a scare." The fiery-haired woman gave a small laugh when Jaenelle said that.

Claudia grinned slightly too, while I imagined the Eyrien male that was with Claudia getting a knife in his toe... Claudia's voice snapped me from my fantasy. "Mother, I just noticed Elayn hasn't been introduced to us formally. Well, she known's my name... but that's cause..." Claudia's trailed of, her grin turning into a grimace as she glanced at me quickly.

I gazed at her steadily, determined not to lose my happy feeling. _That's right, _I thought sourly, _all I need is your sympathy... _

"I'm Morghann, the Queen of Scelt and mother of Reon ." The fiery-haired lady held out her hands, her palms facing down. I stared at them blankly, not really sure what in Hell I was supposed to do. So I reached one hand up, and shook her smallest finger very hesitantly.

"Hello." I said cautiously. She started at me blankly for a moment before a huge grin spread across her face. So, shaking her pinkie seemed to work then.

"I'm Jaenelle Sadi, former Queen of Ebon Askavi and mother Claudia." She held out her pinkie cautiously. Odd how all the Human's stiffened at the same time at 'Sadi'. Was there something wrong with that last name? I shook her smallest finger. Jaenelle grinned happily at me, while from the corner of my eyes I saw Morghann roll her eyes.

Wait...is this a Queen's reunion or something? Am I in Scelt...or Ebon Askavi?

"I'm Claudia Sadi, daughter of Jaenelle and Daemon Sadi." Claudia didn't lift her pinkie for me to shake. Too bad, I thought bitterly, I wouldn't have shaken it anyways.

There was a small silence as I stared at Kalan's ear before Jaenelle broke it, "And you must be...?" She prompted with a slight chuckle. Silly of her; I am Elayn and she knew that. I wonder what douche bag, in his tigerish anger/worry, spilled the beans...

"Elayn, sister to Kalan'drios." I said simply, not putting in any important information.

"I see." Jaenelle said in a midnight voice. I saw Morghann shiver slightly and I turned my head to her, wondering why she was cold when it was boiling hot. I shrugged off her strange behaviour and felt myself sag slightly as my eyes drooped, a sudden wave of tiredness washed over me.

"You drained yourself, somehow, during the summoning of all your possessions and the shields that you placed around Kalan'drios. You'll need to rest now, getting plenty of sleep, and we'll send someone up in the morning to get you some food." Jaenelle's voice changed again, and I felt myself feel very confused.

"Can you send up Kalan?" I asked politely, wondering who they would send up instead if he wasn't allowed to.

"Kalan'drios is not a certified Healer, and would not help your recovery as well as a qualified one. I can't send him up here without him disrupting your healing process." She sighed. *And as we all know, males are fussy.* Morghann added on spear thread.

I huffed silently and mouthed good-bye to Kalan as his ears drooped and he crawled backwards out of the doorway, the others following him. I stared at the door as it closed with a soft _click_ behind them, and watched it, hugging my leg close to my chest, with amazement.

As I settled into the boiling hot bed and closed my eyes, my last thought was the look Jaenelle gave me before she left.

I'm so glad, I thought warily, that I didn't tell her that she and Morghann, second only to the horrible dead bitch that birthed me, were the first two non-Kindred adult women I'd ever met in my life.

I woke from my dreamless-sleep with a whopping head ache. If I didn't know better, I'd say that my kin-brother was sitting on my head, although I knew as soon as the thought crossed my mind that that couldn't possibly be true. There'd be fur everywhere for starters, and I'd probably be at flat as the surface of water.

Speaking of water...

I sat up, feeling my throat as dry as sand. I gagged at the horrible flavour in my mouth and felt my stomach rumble noisily. Yuk! What had I eaten!

I coughed as the flavour seemed to rise into my mouth, and my stomach rumbled again, begging for attention. Then again, when was the last time I'd eaten?

I looked over to the bedside table and reached for the colourful mug. I took it and as I tried to pick it up, my muscles in my sore arm disobedient, the whole arm instead drooping to the side of me. I groaned as the pins and needles feeling spread through my right arm, knowing instantly that I had slept on it.

I reached with my other arm and found the mug quiet hard to lift. How long had I slept? I should go outside and get my muscles back into shape...

When I looked inside the cup, I felt revolted. It looked like the disgusting mouldy water I've found in ponds that were frog infested. What stopped me from putting it back onto the desk was the fact that it smelt _wonderful_.

I inhaled, smelling the aroma that smelt like the world at midnight, while at the same time the flowers at midday. Saliva instantly formed in my mouth and I took a small sip.

It felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I coughed, the drink going down the wrong way altogether. My wings suddenly weighed a tone and I accidently fell sideways as I lost my balance. The drink splashed up from the cup and threw itself all over my face, hair and neck as I started a coughing fit. My right side of my hip hit the freezing floor and the cup itself was accidently dropped by me onto my toe.

I yelped and shoot onto my right leg, holding my toe and hopping around the room, my heavy wings not doing much to balance me, as my toe throbbed in time to my heart. I suddenly tripped over the cup when it rolled under my foot, and I was sent fly forwards back onto the ice cold ground.

I lay there, glad I was in clothes, while flinging Eyrien curses at no one, and snarled as the stupid frigging cup rolled past my numb face.

I lifted my good arm and hit it down hard on the clay looking cup. It crunched under my strength and got pounded into dust as I hit it over and over again, my short temper rising the more I hit it.

_Stupid_. I hit it. _Clay_. I hit it again. _Cup!_

I grew aggravated and threw a punch at the door that had swung open in front of my face, above the cup. I heard the satisfying _crunch_ and _reeekkkk!_ as the end of the door got smashed into the hinges, while the planks of wood closer to me splintered.

Just when I was about to laugh at the door, someone cleared their throat. I looked sideways at the two slim, white ankles, and then up at the male with luxuriously gorgeous brown locks, sun kissed skin and bright blue eyes standing behind them.

I stared at him from my uncomfortable position while he stared back, his eyes seeming made of dancing ice. How had I not heard them? After a few moments I spread my _extremely_ heavy dark wings and bared my teeth. He looked at me, stunned.

Serves him right the little pervert. If I want food I can go downstairs by myself-

-A lady-like voice cleared a throat and I looked up at Claudia who was standing above me like a tower, and biting her lip like something was immensely funny and worrying. These people have the strangest emotional swings.

"What are you doing?" She asked in that tone her mother used on me. I'm starting to think it's a Healer thing.

"I tripped over"- I tilted my head slightly, indicating the powered dust, -"that." I tucked my sore wings back into their rightful position. In a swift movement I spread my hands out to either sides of me, before pushing up like I was rising from a push-up, and falling to the side, onto my tender and frozen bottom.

My toe still hurt, my stomach felt horrible, my hip ached and my leg felt like it was a hollow tree truck with a bee colony in it, not that I was going to tell _them_ that. I pulled the hair that was plastered to my face off and ran my hand through it, trying to find out how much of that midnight-day soup-brew had gotten into it.

"I see." Claudia mused, and I huffed, ignoring the childish-tone that indicated a held back laugh. The male entered the room, looking at me with a sly grin, which I returned with a small glare.

"This is Damarlon. He's helping me today because...well, he's male. What can I say?" Claudia introduced me to the boy who seemed years my successor with a slight shrug – he looked maybe Claudia's age.

"Hey." He murmured, his greeting smothered in honey. Damarlon held out one of his hands while Claudia turned a bright red and walked over to the bedside table, vanishing the thing that was once a perfectly good cup, and the ruined door.

He seemed nice enough, but I knew human-males from watching them interact with my birth mother. They all wanted only one thing, and my mother always let them have it. I'm not the horrible whore that my mother was, and I won't allow males to pollute me with all that horrendous stuff I'd seen in my mother.

I reached out with my right arm, finding the smooth wooden end of the bed. My arm felt very weak, but I was determined not to touch that male. Or any repulsive two-leggered male for that matter.

Pulling myself up was harder than I thought it would be, and the discomfort in my hip and leg was overwhelming. I swayed slightly, and when Damarlon seemed to reach over to help me, I pulled away, noticing both Claudia and Damarlon watching me intently, like I was some sort of freak show. Claudia especially seemed to have her eyes almost popping out of her sockets as she watched me, the redness in her face seeming to subside.

I muttered an Eyrien curse under my breath when I noticed my box of treasures was still there. I wondered if my Craft was back, and deciding to test it, I vanished the box gratefully. Then I turned to Claudia.

"I get food, correct?" I asked, assuming that her mother had kept her word. Claudia nodded and plates of food hovered just above my bed. I saw three bowls of the same thing, the same time I saw Claudia turn and mix some greenery in a smaller bowl that looked like it was made from the same thing as the cup.

I stared at the bowls in confusion and distaste at what I could see.

"It's meat broth and bread." Damarlon stated to me, walking up to the opposite side of the bed to peer at it. I watched him as he nodded in confirmation and took a step back, deciding to turn his gaze on me.

I suspiciously looked at the 'food' then back at him, trying to determent if he'd put something in it. His eyes only silently urged me to eat it, his body language showing he wasn't going to interfere.

"We can't get you solid food yet, because you'd vomit it up as soon as it reached your stomach, because you've drained yourself and your body's recovering. You need to take small, controlled amounts of soft food for the time." Claudia explained, not turning from her work with her herbs.

I watched her mash three types together, and flicked a glance at Damarlon before the broth.

I haven't had bread for a while...

I reached out and carefully took a bowl. I pulled it towards myself, the aroma smelling wonderful but making my stomach churn with distress. I think I'm going to puke whether that's mushy food or not...

Dipping the bread into the bread, I probed the food before taking a nibble off the corner the yeast slice. It tasted different to me; I hadn't had bread for two years, after all.

I pulled a face as the very salty bread was swallowed, but if felt okay as it settled in my stomach. Taking a bigger bite was something I didn't want to do, but I felt drawn to it; it smelt too good. Within minutes I'd finished all three bowls and was sitting comfortably on the corner of the bed most furtherest away from Damarlon.

I felt better, but craved something different to the soggy bread that I had been given. As if the wish had come true in a twisted sense, a bowl of mush appeared in front of me from the soles of Claudia's palms. "Eat." She ordered. Eat? How could I eat something that looked like food that had been chewed up? I wouldn't even call it eating. I'd call it drinking with big lumps. Yuk...

"Don't scrunch your nose up at it; it's not like it's going to jump out and gum you to death. It tastes fine and it helps your leg, and the bruise on your hip." Claudia snapped the first sentence, and I was slightly taken aback. I resisted the strong urge to snap back, even when I saw Damarlon shift slightly like he was about to jump to her defence.

I roughly took it from her hands and she just beamed at me, her mood changing once again. I felt the opposite of her – grumpy. I took a mouthful and almost threw up everything in my stomach. I stood up and covered my mouth with my free hand, positioning myself so no one could see me in case I _was_ about to throw up.

When nothing happened, I eyed the mix while hearing the soft chuckling and growling of the two behind me.

Never am I going to trust her with my healing brews...

"Taste horrible?" A soft male voice chuckled. I rubbed my tongue on the roof of my mouth when I turned around, trying to rid of the foul taste. Claudia growl at him warningly, and I felt an undercurrent of annoyance.

I didn't say anything, but Damarlon just laughed at my expression. "She has a nack for making all her brews taste-"

"-That's enough from you! It's not like anyone expects them to taste nice in the first place!" Claudia snarled. Then she turned on me. "Did you? You didn't expect that to taste nice...right?" Her eyes were pleading on her last word, and I looked at her in amazement. Mother never had mood swings this violently, and Kindred sure don't!

"Ummm...." I started, before Claudia interrupted me. "See! She likes it!" She grinned mischievously at me. Claudia then turned to Damarlon, who was looking at her, an eyebrow raised with his arms cross over his chest, clearly not impressed or persuaded.

"Sure, sure." He rolled his eyes and Claudia narrowed hers dangerously at him. I felt utterly surprised and confused; he's making her angry and ignoring all her signs that she's going to attack! Yet he seems okay with it, as if this was a game, like Hide and Tag.

"Out." She snapped, using her arms to push him towards the exit. He looked surprised, amazed and just leaned back, resiting. Claudia seemed to have to put a lot of effort into pushing him a few meters, and I noticed how un-fit she must be. I haul around Kalan all the time, so Damarlon would be reasonably easy, and yet she seemed to be having trouble.

_These_ two-leggers are odd.

A few inches from the door, Damarlon's head swerved around and he looked at me. "See you round, if you make it past her." He indicated Claudia with his hand. I felt a moment of dread – was Claudia more powerful than me Jewel wise? Had her Opal strength in the woods when I had met her, been a mis-guider, like my Summer-Sky Shield?

The last I saw of Damarlon was his look of confusion as he was pushed out of the room –finally- by Claudia. She slammed the door on his face and spun instantly around. I had taken up the position of my arms crossed under my breast, and leaning on the wall during the confrontation.

Claudia was a bright red, looking sort of like a cherry tomato. Her eyebrows were knitted together and I was torn for a moment of rushing out the door and fetching Damarlon for her to take her anger out on, or bristling and snapping back at her like I was so use to. Then she did the weirdest thing.

She took two steps, collapsed forwards onto my bed, nestled her head into my layers of sheets and burst out laughing. I frowned and bit my lip, which tasted of the midnight-midday drink, and wondered what in the Forever Caves was so funny?

I watched her curiously until she came up for air, tears pouring down her cheeks. Weird, strange people...

I sat down again, folding my legs as I sat on the base of my pillow, studying her with a confused patience. I was so sure she was going to turn her anger on me, that her laughing was just puzzling; everyone who had ever been angry at me had never decided to laugh it out.

I endured the long time it took for her to at least be able to breathe normally again, which was about twenty or so odd minutes. What was so funny that she could laugh so long? Or, what had made her so angry? The only time I had laughed for that amount of time was when mother had gotten a large sum of her hair caught in the door, which was locked from the inside, and the key under the doormat she was standing on.

Claudia finally seemed to grasp that there was someone in the room, and cleared her throat politely as she moved over to one of the many wooden chairs that had been set against the wall. Once she settled down, Claudia smoothed over her dress and looked back up at me.

"I'm sorry about that." Her voice was very dry, and frankly I wasn't the least bit surprised. "It's just...usually girls drool at the sight of him and his group of friends, and today's the first day he's ever been turned down by someone his around own age. Sure, Damarlon's not cocky about it but you're...just..." Claudia chuckled, looking slightly light headed.

I just stared at her and shook my head with a sigh. Males are all the same, and they want for the same thing.

Claudia watched me with a preoccupied look on her face, and I wondered what was going through her head. "You don't talk a lot, do you?" she mused, sounding like all her energy was gone.

I shrugged, not really sure what to say, and looked over at the window which showed the sun setting in the distance. Or rising; I still have no idea.

"I'm not use to talking." I admitted sourly, and with another slight shrug. Claudia's eyes widened slightly as if talking with me was a breakthrough, and the highlight of her life. Which, I thought glumly, it probably was.

"Why?" She pressed, leaning forwards. I propped a pillow up behind me and leaned back. This was going to be a long day/night. Whatever.

"My brother." I answered, gesturing to the window, which showed only the sky. He _was_ probably outside, and that's what I intended her to notice.

She frowned slightly. "I still can't believe he's your kin-brother. It seems so odd; he's huge for an Arcerian, and his Jewel rank is very high. It's hard to think of him other than scary with all that muscle, plus the amount of Jewel strength he's got."

I grinned, trying to picture Kalan as 'scary'. It just didn't fit _my_ annoying fluff ball of a brother.

She grinned too.

I wondered where he was, and where we were. Obviously these people didn't mean harm to us - I'd figured that out a while ago- but they didn't seem to be helping be either; first they attack me, which I'm being healed for, and everyone shrugs it off, not telling me where my brother is, where we are and worse, they've banned him from coming in here altogether.

First things first. "Why did you guys attack me?" I asked suspiciously. Claudia narrowed her eyes at me, her grin vanishing, as she seemed to change altogether into something dangerous. "Why?" She crooned.

I blinked, confused once again at these people's strange behaviour. "Because I want to know what I did wrong." I retorted – it _was_ obvious.

She changed back from the dangerous woman that had been in front of me a moment ago to the Claudia I'd helped. She squirmed like she had been caught red handed, and forced a small smile, which didn't go far.

"You didn't. The boyos and I, when we were raised we were taught by our parents never to wonder alone, and never trust strangers. The fact that I wondered off alone _and _I trusted you with taking me somewhere safe angered the boys, and you just...pushed them to the killing edge when you tried to escape. Daemonar reached the Killing Edge first and pulled you down, and on the way you torn the back of your leg open, tearing flesh close to the bone on a broken branch. The blood..." Claudia shuddered violently. "Males here protect and serve their females, and there was so much blood...it was horrible..."

I blinked, trying to clear my mind. Males...protect...? They...serve?

"And then your brother appeared on the killing edge, and at first we all thought it was an Arcerian that had smelt the blood and wanted you for food, and because it's in their nature, the boyos were torn between protecting me, and you, especially Damarlon and Liand. And then you got up and addressed Kalan'drios when my mother and some of the coven appeared...all that blood coming from your wound..." Claudia was as pale as ice, watching me. "You shouldn't have been able to stand..." She whispered, sounding dazed. "You still shouldn't be able to stand up... at _least_ for another week...and yet, you were not moment ago."

The picture of me was pretty gross, I have to admit, but I'm no Healer so I don't see what's so wrong about that. Kalan has done that too on one occasion... Then I saw Claudia's face of ice. She shouldn't be that pale, or that worried about me. It was unnatural, and the only human I'd seen do that was my Mother when she was on her death bed. I didn't want Claudia to die...much.

I got up and crossed the room, sitting two seats down from her as she watched me with equal interest and fear. I'd never been so close to someone my age before... I reached out and hesitated, before patting her head reassuringly, like I did with Kindred.

"When you've lived the developing stages of your life with an 800pound Are-cer-ee-an," I clumsily pronounced what Claudia had called Kalan, "then you'd get strong like me... I think. 'Sides, I heal fast." I wasn't about to add the fact that I couldn't feel the wound, with the bemused look Claudia was giving me.

"How...old...are you, if you don't mind me asking?" She asked her emotions swinging once again, although her face still seemed too pale.

I thought about it for a moment. "Fifteen." I honestly hadn't kept track, but I'd found Kalan when I was thirteen, and that was two years ago. I found that when living among the Kindred, it wasn't your physical age that determined your 'age'.

"Good." Claudia grinned, the blood rushing back into her face as she got over the memory. I watched her suspiciously, seeing the glint in her eyes.

"Well, I've given you the Healing Brew, and you can walk...sort of. If I give you a cane to help you walk, do you want to find your brother and go outside?" She looked excited, like the Wolf pups when they took me to the edge of the pack and told me in whispers that they had planted a dead rat inside the Curer's Den's. I was _very_ worried about that look.

I nodded hesitantly, not sure where this was going but thankful for a chance to go outside...and see my fluff ball of a brother.

"Okay, then let's go!" She jumped up enthusiastically and went to the draws in the bedside table desk, rummaging through.

I wonder if I should tell her that her Healing Brew had been tipped into one of the draws?

**Okay so this isn't the best Chapter... but I have a plot in mind, people! If you guys have any ideas to add, please do.**

**Please Review ^.~ (Pretty please?) And I'll love you if you don't flame me 3**

**~~ToySoldiers~~**


	6. Exploration

**Sorry this Chapter wasn't up a while back – I did have it typed up about a week ago, but I've been sick, my computer decided to get a virus while schools piling assignments on me almost every day ;( Anywhos! Thanks JDot940 for Reviewing – I love them! That was the cherry on top of my day!! Thanks all those that subscribed for Favourite Author, Story Alert and Favourite Story!!**

Where _are_ we going? I trusted Claudia's knowledge of this place – I think - ... where ever this place i_s_...but now I was starting to get judgemental.

_Amazingly_ enough, Claudia had scratched the surface of my temper when she'd shoved me into a house-sized bathroom, handed me clothes and blandly told me I needed a shower. Once I was out, she rushed down two doors, irreverently told me to wait there, and then came back in a flash wearing oldish threadbare dark-brown trousers and a long, baggy, heather-green sweater with decorative patches.

I approved of her clothes mentally, feeling slightly out of place, before Claudia convincingly guided me down the corridors with as much energy as a room full of puppies.

Trying to remember these hallways was a big no-no; I'd figured that out after a few minutes, after getting a minor headache. Claudia though, seemed to know where she was going, showing me around wide corridors with little or no decorations of furniture.

That was beforehand. Now though? She was looking down the different directions to take as if she was as new to this place as I was. Foolish, I think, so go somewhere you've never been before without knowing the way out again.

And I meant that physically and psychologically.

I dug my heels in when we came to another T-junction.

"We're lost." I told her with a grunt. Shaking her head was the only sign that she'd heard me, while she kept looking down both directions with a confused frown. I shook my hand out of hers and felt a wave of relief as I sat down on a fine wooden chair.

"I grew up here, I know where we are. But I have to ask you...do you know where Kalan'drios is?" Claudia's head creased in confusion before she sat down. On air.

Mother Night... I gulped and shifted uncomfortably.

I sent a probe out, and searched over the minds until I came across my brother's familiar warmth. "Yes." I said vigilantly whilst eyeing the air Claudia was sitting on. I slyly stuck the cane under it no make sure there was no hidden chair there.

Claudia grinned at the cane then sighed. "So do the males in my mother's First Circle." I blinked, slightly shocked, both from the fact that the cane was not meeting hard wood, and also over what Claudia said.

"Why does that matter?" I asked guarded. She bit her lip again, and there was laughter held in her eyes as she said in a neutral tone, "They want to meet Kalan'drios's sister."

I held back a snarl but I couldn't keep the edge out of my voice. "Do they?"

Claudia studied me cautiously, her laughter faded. Her voice changed to a polite tone as she said, "Yes. They would like to know how you manage to keep your limbs attached."

I felt myself go blank with confusion, worry, doubt and shock.

Well that's a silly think to find out. He's my brother; Kalan wouldn't hurt me, unless there was a good reason behind it all. He wouldn't rip me limb from limb and devour me like I'd seen him do to... but maybe that's why the males are worried... maybe they've never seen an Arcerian up close before, or only seen one hunting... maybe the two-leggered males feel...

No, I thought with a violent snarl.

Two-leggered males don't worry, they don't care, they destroy females in their path and they only want one thing, and that one thing I will never let them have. Human males don't love, they only lust.

I should know.

I shut out that last though, along with the memories threatening to rise with it.

I took in a deep breath, hoping it would calm me down and wash out the disgust and anger tainting my thoughts. "Kalan wouldn't do that." I stated firmly, raising my chin slightly, challenging hey silently.

"Of course he wouldn't." Claudia watched me closely as if I was a cooking experiment bound to explode.

"But the boyos are... surprised... at that fact that he was very tame when he went into the Healing room. He's usually aggressive around the other males, and some of the First Circles male children were right behind him when his top half was in the Healing room. So... they were just wondering how come when he was with you he wasn't trying to rip you apart." She knotted her fingers together and apart several times, looking up at the roof with a scowl on her face, "Basically anyway; I'm just trying to think of how someone with a cock and balls would explain it." She frowned, while I smiled at her use of language.

"Anyway, I'm trailing you around the place so we can get away from them _and _Ladvarian. No one knows these halls as well as I do; even my Grand-Papa and Mother couldn't compare." She grinned wickedly at me, and I wondered where she picked that up from.

I made and 'Oh' sound and looked out the window at the end of the T-section; it spilled natural light into the corridor like a disease, while the turquoise green leaves danced against the window. I felt myself being pulled towards to outdoors, drawn into its beauty.

I felt rather than saw her get up and grab my hand, tugging me forwards lightly. I hoisted myself up, never taking my eyes off the window, and hobbled towards it as Claudia encouraged me with a basic tug.

She grinned at me and _pushed _me at the...

Wait. Mother Night I didn't just...

Fresh, crisp air that circled the plain of grass blew in welcome at me, determining to me that it was morning, not afternoon. I breathed deeply, both in shock and greeting. Claudia stepped up behind me, a wide grinned plastered onto her face. I tried to give her a glare, but it didn't work as well as I had hoped. Especially when my eyes are so wide open.

"I just...you pushed me _through_ a wall." I gapped in awe. Claudia's grin faded into a nervous innocent, as she twisted the hem of her jumper and avoided my eyes.

"That didn't scare you did it? I thought you might have known that spell...Although when I pushed Deekshan through a wall he didn't seem too happy either..." Claudia clicked her tongue, and I wondered who had taught her a spell like that.

I simply shrugged lightly; still puzzled over the fact you could actually go through walls here.

"Can you show me?" I asked politely, scanning the area for dangers. Well, there seems no point in scanning the area for dangers if your eye sight is limited from a corner of this castle...place... a few hundred meters from yourself to a small gardening shed behind you. Claudia perked up, eyed me as if she expected there to be a catch, and then grinned at me wickedly.

"'Course. Not now though because"-She was cut off suddenly by a low snarl. I spun on my heel, frightened by the fact that everyone was able to sneak up on me today, without me even noticing. What wrong with me?!

I was met by a mouth full of dagger-sharp teeth. My surprise dampened, and I felt a wave of exhilaration build inside myself.

*Elayn!* "Kalan!" We sung harmoniously. My little brother! I'm outside for the first time in Mother Night knows when, and Kalan's here!

I felt myself tumble backwards as I was pounced on by Kalan. I laughed, placing my feet on the either sides of his thighs and my hands on his shoulders, before pushing him roughly, causing him to be pinned down.

I stared into him bright green eyes before squealing - ignoring Claudia's sudden Healers scolding and the pain in my lower leg - as I wrapped my arms around Kalans neck and pulled him into a hug. His huge front legs wrapped around my mid section, rocking us, his loud purring soothing and delighting me as my face was pressed against his neck.

Feeling myself laugh as his snow-white fur tickled my nose, I wriggled myself out of his warm embrace, looking at Claudia. She was smiling so brightly I thought her teeth would crack, and I suddenly wondered what I must look like feeling this joyful.

Kalan rolled over onto his feet at the same time I bent down and swooped up my dull cane.

"Well," grinned Claudia, "that's not something you see every day." I chuckled and scratched the top of Kalans head as he moved to stand next to me.

I leaned against him, feeling the hollowness of my leg suddenly weight me down. Kalan sniffed Claudia as she took a step closer to me, and he nodded as if approving of her, which, I thought blandly, he was.

*You are Jaenelle's kitten.* Kalan stated to Claudia. She smiled knowingly, "Yes I am."

Kalan gave intimidating grin. *Your sire is getting his bottom nipped by Morghann's kitten.* I braided pieces of hair on Kalan's neck, not sure where this was going. Claudia gave me no clue when she went deathly pail, then bright red in an odd sort of a blush. I felt confused at her strange change of colour.

"Mother Night!" she laughed, clasping her hands around her mouth as if that would keep the laughter in. I had to admit, in my head it was an odd picture, but I still wasn't sure what was going on. "Papa's loosing sticks to Reon?" She asked with a giggle, sounding as if she was confirming something.

*Yes. Do you want to watch?* Kalan turned his head slightly, as if to acknowledge a direction, before turning back to Claudia. I finished un-braiding Kalan's long fur a top his head at the same time he said those words.

Claudia made a sound at the back of her throat and started running paranormally fast towards the corner of the castle. I stared, shocked, after her until Kalan nudged me, pushing me towards his mid-section. I caught the indication and grinned wickedly as I used Craft to make a small air-stair case, before hitching my leg over his back. I entwined my fingers into his shoulder mane and leaned forwards, holding the cane lightly between my thumbs.

Kalan stormed after Claudia's figure just as it rounded the corner, using Craft to enhance his speed... just as she must have done. I laughed into the wind, feeling it fly furiously through my hair as a sense of giddiness overtook me. Claudia was racing Kalan...!

The last time we had done this, was when we had found an oversized field fully of deer, and had raced them around the perimeter, herding them into small groups before letting them flee again.

I felt his muscles work in union with my leg muscles; listened to his claws dig into the grow like a sixth-sense as Kalan broke around the corner, never slowing down; I smelt the dew covered grass as he angled himself in such an angle during the fly around the bend that I could almost reach out with my pinkie and stroke it; I could taste the air, flavoured with tasteful flowers...

And I saw the massive area of training grounds ahead, littered with an amazing amount of people. I snarled almost at the exact same time as my brother, just as the cane slipped from beneath my thumbs. I tilted backwards, and Kalan slowed down slightly.

I spun him around in a small U-turn before he raced back towards the neglected cane. Now this, I grinned mischievously, we had only tried once. I sent a quick thought out to Kalan'drios, noting him of what I wanted to do.

Three meters from the cane, I loosened my legs slightly and completely let go of Kalan with my hands, before throwing myself around to the right. I soared around, picked up my cane and swung back around onto Kalan's back.

I gripped onto my brother's fur coat again with the empty hand, before turning him back around and slowing down his speeding pace to a reasonable jog. I fumbled with the cane, unsure where I should put it, before I looked up.

Almost everyone was staring at me; everyone except Claudia and Jaenelle, who seemed to be having an argument. Kalan stopped walking, his hackles rising, before a quiet warning snarl escaped his mouth. There were men everywhere... I shuddered slightly at the view, and a cold chill settling around myself.

_Don't_. A deep voice seemed to whisper to me. I rolled my jaw, trying to release tension in my body...

Many males turned from me when Kalan growled again, louder, and I suddenly remembered that Claudia had said he gets aggressive around other males...

Good, I though sweetly.

I lightly scratched behind his ear before sliding off his back gracefully, using the cane for a hedgy support. An adult woman with spiky-blonde hair and ice blue eyes approached me, grinned the most wicked smile I have ever seen. Somehow, it calmed my senses that were roaring at me to unleash the Gray and kill the foreign human males.

"Impressive display." She commented, grinning. Another female approached from behind her, her long black hair and lightly golden skin complemented her emerald green eyes, which we now pinned onto me. She tucked some hair behind her ear and pursed her lips. "So impressive, sugar, that now you've probably got a horde of male fans."

Without willing to, a hiss escaped between my teeth. Kalan's head brushed the side of mine, informing me that I had support...or back up. "I _don't_ want a horde of men." I snarled at her.

She gave me a head to toe glance then looked at the blonde-haired pixie-woman, before turning back to me."Sugar, from where I'm standing you don't really have a choice. We don't exactly get many Arcerian riding professionals around here and with a stunt like that everyone with a cock and balls will want to know how you did it."

The blonde haired woman looked behind me, snorted, and then laughed under her breath.

I felt like someone had splashed me with a bucket of water. Do all the females around here use that sort of language? Is someone who knows a trick or two whilst riding an Arcerian _really_ a professional?

I frowned in confusion. How did I just get pushed from the killing edge by two Gray-Jewelled, snarly and strange female adults, who I've never met before?

I froze for a moment, and sent out a light probe, lightly touching there outer inner-barrier. Yes, they were both Gray-Jewelled. How did I know that then?

Kalan pushed me with his head, forcing me to take a few steps back before he shifted his body in such a way that any approaching person wouldn't be able to see me. Nor would I be able to see them, I thought dryly, although the scent that hit me was one of a male.

"Ladies." the voice sounded sharp, but worn out like he'd been worked to the limit. It also sounded smooth, running like a lovers touch over my body at the same moment I felt a wave of light seduction hit me. "Kalan'drios." I bared my teeth angrily when the voice said my brother's name. I bristled, summoned my favourite knife, and slipped around so I was standing half-hidden next to my brothers head.

My knife laid against Kalans cheek, carcassing it, but laying hidden until I needed it. The man was taller than us women, looking very similar to the black-haired green-eyed lady. He had sleek black hair, honey golden eyes and brown skin; so he was from one of the three long-lived races, like me, and the possibly woman next to him.

He stared at me, his body moving similar to a cat as he moved his training stick to his other hand. He screamed one thing at me, and that put my teeth on edge: _Seducer!_

His eyes flicked to where I had the knife, as if he could see through Kalan, then back to my face. His melted honey eyes seemed to go colder.

"You must be Elayn." He purred. I shuddered, forcing of the driving temptation to rise to the killing edge.

"Maybe." I mused just as sweetly. "Why does it concern _you_?" The two women. Kalan nudged me with his head, softly, as if he didn't want to draw attention to himself. I ignored my brother, but vanished my knife.

The man just stared at me for a long time, and I never shifted my eyes from his. A sudden smirk drew up one of the sides of his mouth. "You're as bad as my daughter."

My eye brow raised. The ice thick tension around us broken by his sudden change of the subject. I frown at the prospect of being anything like his daughter, who ever she was.

"This is Lady Surreal," he gestured to the exotic woman with the emerald green eyes, "And this is Lady Karla." He motioned to the wicked grinning lady. "I'm Daemon Sadi." Daemon said, looking at me closely. I bowed respectfully, unsure of what was considered polite here when addressing a Warlord Price, and rocked back onto my heels. Sadi, aye?

"Nice to meet you, Ladies, Prince. I _am _Elayn, and I'm certain my personality doesn't resemble Claudia's all that well." I lifted my hand and scratched Kalan's ear comfortingly. Daemon started in a coughing fit and covered his mouth very badly to cover a very noticeable smile.

I poked my head slightly around Kalan, to see a group of adolescent two-legged males training with an adult Eyrien meters away. One of them flicked his head my way as if he had eyes on the back of his head and our eyes met.

His beautiful and flawless eyes, looking at me with a flicker of warmth. Emotions tumbled around in my belly as he smiled at me. I felt scared at the emotions that I thought I had berried long ago.

Damarlon stared at me, stopping his copies of the Eyrien adult's deadly movements in the process. This earned him a wack on the head from the teacher with a training stick, at exactly the same time Daemon turned his glance to him, I snarled and Kalan pulled himself in front of me.

I pulled myself back, even though I yearned to run around the four surrounding me and join in the exercises, and instead eyed Daemon wearily while he looked over at the group that I could no longer see. I guessed he was having a private conversation on a thread, even before my brother turned and started to stalk dangerously over to the training group.

"Kalan'drios." Daemon cleared his throat, looking as nervous as a two-year old caught with a forbidden cookie in his mouth. Kalan turned, and I watched Daemon from my post. Surreal pursed her lips, took one glance at my brother before grabbing Karla's arms and dragging her back to the castle-house.

"It would be in her best interests if you took Elayn back up into the Healing rooms." He informed Kalan. Kalan looked lazily at him, before storming back over to us, towering over Daemon. Daemon blinked as if something had happened too quickly for him to grasp, and Kalan sighed at the human male and nudged me towards the castle-house.

*I do not like the puppy males.* Kalan snarled to me as soon as we were out of ear shot. I tried running to keep ahead of my brothers giant head nudging, and ended up hopping a lot. I chuckled darkly at his remark, and gave up on the hopping; instead, I summoned the cane and limped towards the castle-house, even though there was probably no help with the cane.

*Neither do I. Nobody said we had to Kalan.* I sent to him on a private spear thread, the emotion of bitterness lancing at my words.

*Jaenelle said to try, and to play _nice_. I cannot play _nice_ when Ladvarian says they are sniffing around for a _mate_.* Kalan snarled three times in that sentence. I felt rage boil inside me like a kettle on the hot fire; everything seemed to look like a potential target for me to throw my fuming hot anger at.

Looking for mates?!? And _I'm _supposed to be – what? – a _contender_ for the spot?! Someone who the males will thoroughly investigate to see if I am worthy to be a _mate_?!?

I snarled ferociously, the sound of it emphasized when it bounced off the nearby walls.

I could feel Kalan's stance change; his ears went against his head; his tail dropped; his head lowered and he crouched slightly, as if ready to run. Or pounce.

Sniffing around for a mate... I growled at him silently. When he slowed into a snail's pace I turned around to glare at him. He snarled at me, his teeth bore dangerously while his nails flexed, digging into the soft dirt.

I tried to bury the anger – I'd drawn enough attention to myself already today – but when I tried it just boiled up a red haze.

I gritted my teeth.

*You smell.* Kalan muttered to me. My eyes widened as I stared at him, gobsmacked. I'd just had a shower... and he said...

"_WHAT?!?" _I shrieked. My brother grinned as if my reaction was a good thing.

*You should take a shower.* he said blandly, smiling slyly at me. I snarled irritably and shoved his shoulder as hard as I could. Kalan stumbled back a bit, smiling wickedly. _That_ rubbed me the wrong way.

"Oh _I_ stink?! This is coming from someone who showers –what? - once a month?!" I snarled, shoving him again.

The next thing I knew I was wrapped in fur, with teeth around me. Kalan was holding me in his mouth and taking me somewhere.

"Put me _down!_" I shrieked at the 800 pound cat jogging in an odd direction. Or maybe that was just me, seeing as he had me in a position where I could only see his face... and it was getting _very_ uncomfortable.

Kalan shook his head, which didn't help me at all.

"Kalan, pleas"- I was cut off when freezing cold water enveloped me. I jumped up, gasping for air, and was met by a freezing cold wind. I looked down at Claudia's now saturated clothes, shocked.

I looked up at Kalan, who was grinned at me with a huge smile, and in my line of sight behind him a few yards back, there were a bunch of male Eyriens' laughing their heads off. It was like a punch had hit me in the stomach, winding me.

Those memories... I shuddered, and it wasn't from the cold. I stood up straight, shivering uncontrollably, as I looked Kalan in the eyes briefly, before hiding my face from him. The scars of my former life where a burden I'd have to forever carry... and no one can help it if they push the worst of those memories to the surface.

I turned and slowly walked away from my brother. Limped was more like it, actually. I don't know, or care, when that stupid cane is, even if it _is_ extremely painful to walk.

I shoved the memories down, catching glimpses of some...

_Mother stood in the kitchen, humming the sweetest of tunes as she wiped the blood dripping from the blunt knife onto a tea towel, before turning to me, the knife held high. "That should teach you not to"-_

_-I sat reading the book I had scavenged from Mother's last 'lover', flipping through the pages, not seeing the words, while mother's newest lover slid down the cotton sheets, closer to me. He crawled onto the bed, grabbed the strand on my singlet and pulled it down, revealing my bra. I pulled away from him, and he slapped me sharply-_

_-I stabbed the wooden dummy again, wishing that the cries from my Mothers bedroom were cries of pain that I was inflicting on both of them-_

...I shuddered violently at my past life...

**:O Elayn has a secret life... that no one knows about... it **_**might**_** be revelled in the next Chapter...**

**It's my Birthday tomorrow – I would love it if I could get Reviews as a Birthday Present :)**


	7. The Trial of Memories

**I'm sorry I haven't updated for yonks. Believe me, I typed this up ages ago but my computer hates me. It decided it liked to freeze on me and then not start at all. Computers – joy *sarcasm*. Holidays have been stuffed full (something to do every day) and I got time to finish this Chapter off today – yay! I've already sorta typed up the next Chapter. Enjoy!**

*Elayn?* Kalan'drios half-stood half-sat behind me as I dawdled towards the castle at a snail's pace. I felt fear scrape through the whole of me, driving my control over dark, hidden memories scampering like the wimp of a puppy I am.

I felt my brother stand up straight, his nostrils flaring, most likely sensing something amiss with me; he always does. But, I thought with apprehension, is there something wrong with me? A reason why I can't drive insane memories away, or at least keep them leashed within my deepest inner barriers to never be disturbed?

Turning away from Kalan'drios, I started to speed walk towards the haven in front of me. The men who had laughed at me stared like I was some sort of cow with three udders and sheep head, but none bothered to take a fraction of a pace towards me as I tried to turn my back on them. A violent tremor danced across my back as quick glimpses of my past surfaced, demanding to me seen.

**-**_**...run. Keep running. Don'turn back or they'll-**___

_**-"No!" I shrieked at her, "Nooo!"-**___

_**-"...you little bastard! Don't you dare insult me again..."-**___

_**- A blunt blade ran across my back, ripping the skin that was stretched to breaking point, like raw chicken -**___

_**- ...the noose tightened around my neck with my every effort to move, choking the remains of the air out of me-**___

_**-ants... crawling into the wounds... -  
**_  
I tried to breathe in deeply, finding air was escaping my grasp like a hand wrapped securely around my throat. I was trying desperately not to scream as I felt everything closing in around me. My stomach tightened at the knowledge that the Ring of Obedience was in some way back around my neck, chocking me as I wrap my arms around my stomach protectively, making my way to the two doors in front of me.

_**- ..not safe-**_

I picked up I was being followed; heavy footsteps sounding a path behind me as they sort to catch up. My breathing quickened as I knew someone was tracking me... to try and hunt me down. To take the one thing I have never given and never would give. Violence or Craft in any form on one of mothers "friends" would result in excruciating pain... so I had to find somewhere safe to hide.

_**-He yanked my arm violently and I screamed in pain as it was removed from its socket. "Look what this bitch did to me!" he yelled at Mother. She turned from fixing up her perfect make-up in the mirror to look at Jhordan sympathetically. Tears poured down my face as Mother studied him. "Poor baby," She crooned to him, "Would you like to do the honours of teaching the bastard a lesson? The towns Healer can fix up your burnt arm once your done."-**_

My heart sped up until it was beating faster than I was running, and I was moving my legs hopelessly faster in attempt to pace myself faster than my pursuer was. Horror struck me in gut twisting blows; perspiration covered my freezing body; tears fell from my face uncontrollably while drips of water fell of my body and onto the grass. Find somewhere safe... but there are no safe places, are there? Where ever I can go, others can follow.

_**-...Blood. So much blood-**_

I slammed a Grey shield behind me, pulling another two tightly around myself. No pain scorched up my throat like usual. No shriek of a sadist lover of pain echoed in the air. I connected two with two, and knew Mother was holding out on me, to give me a stronger blast of pain when I next stumbled over her rules.

The hunter walked through my first Gray shield as if they were nothing; mere air. I struggled to breathe as I knew what was happening.

_**-not safe... danger. She's coming...-**_

I sprinted to the door, not caring if the pursuer would take this as an invitation to attack me. My injured leg felt like hallowed wood, screaming in agony as pain soared up it like thousands of daggers. Murderous, blunt daggers...

My perser stopped suddenly as I reached the door, and I sped up instantly. The hunter stopping usually means I'm heading towards a trap; no need to follow a dead creature. My stomach dropped to my toes in fear that overpowered all other emotions.

I didn't stop moving my feet as I entered the castle - the place of my perser, no doubt – and instead sprinted flat out, looking for somewhere safe. This is where the traps will be, my intuition told me, the other hunters will stray and the dead will fill. I gasped for air that wasn't available and ran straight up the towering stairs; I seemed to get close to the end, before it would stretch on and on again before me.

**-**_**the stairs were bathed in red blood... dripping down the steps...slowly seeping towards me...-**_

I yelped loudly as a hunter appeared on the tops of the stairs. This one's a female; she was of medium height having shimmering black hair and honey golden eyes, showing she was intelligent, quick-witted and sneaky. She had huge bat-like wings, marking her Eyrien. _Deadly!, _her scent screamed at me, _Dangerous!_

There's no time to turn around; the other hunters are probably behind me, so I wrap more shields around me – ones like sight and aural shields as tight as second skin, before gushing past her. She turned slightly, as if she could feel me; see me even. Those shields never work.

Ever.

The hunters always seem to find me.

**-**_**I sat in the tree above his head, holding my breath. Suddenly, he looked up at me, a wicked smile on his lips. "There you are."-**_

I pass by many doors, all looking symmetrical. I send a psychical probe into each, finding that a few had two-legged Blood behind them. Hunters. So many doors, so little choices.

I heard a snarl from behind the corner I was rapidly approaching, and before I could curse myself for not sending a psychical thread ahead of me to watch out for other hunters, I was in a room. I panted heavily, skidding to a halt before searching desperately around me.

After a psychical sweep of the room, I found there seemed to be no one inside, so I wrapped a dozen or so Grey shields around the outskirts of this room, some, like the aural shield, for protection against being found; others, like the poison dart shields, are for protection once I _am_ found.

**-**_**I knew the moment she touched the shield that the poison darts had been released. Her screams echoed down the hall, and for the first time in my life, I felt happy-**_

The room is neatly arranged; a velvet ice green shaggy carpet hugged the floor; a huge bed that matched the carpet stood in the middle of the back wall; black walls hung around the room, one with a painting of a forest-at-night looking landscape; and an a-joining door. No cupboards. No desks. Nothing to indicate that someone actually lived in here.

I inhaled deeply, still dripping wet, and summoned my favourite dagger, and jewellery set. I cautiously slinked into the corner of the room furtherest away from the door – both doors – with my foot-long, Craft made dagger, that held patterns of attacking wolves on the blade. I pulled the stone eagle, which was holding an inch long dagger, over my chest so it was easily accessible, before slipping on my three stone rings.

**-**_**he leaned over me, pinning my hands above my head with only one of his before he slipped his hand down my pants. I shrieked, afraid of the person rising in me; wanting to sheath myself with cold rage. I ignore it, and activated the three manicure knifes from my rings, which were like small, deadly, poison covered claws-**_

I held the handle of my dagger in my sweating palm and curling my back so my chin was resting on my knee. I pulled my precious wings back in attempt to fit them in the corner. That would keep them out of harm if, when someone enters, the first thing they'll do is throw a blast of power at me. I shuddered and attempted to hold back that memory as it dared to overthrow my sanity.

**-**_**blood dripped down my fore-arm, as the movement I had used to save my face had devastating consequences... Don't scream, I chanted to myself, wheezing, tight breaths. The man snarled, savagely and in annoyance. He didn't expect me to miss **_**most**_** of his spell, but I was sure at that moment the cup-sized circle under my right shoulder blade satisfied him-**_

My teeth chattered together noisily and I forced myself to calm. All thoughts vanished from my mind as a slight wind filtered under the swaying curtain, showing off the bottom of a glass door.

I waited.

I waited for the males to find me. I waited for them to attack my shields. I waited for them to die. I waited for more to come, to find ways to get around my shields. I waited for them to break them. I waited for them to come in and pin me to the ground. I waited for the part of me that yelled for their deaths; and I waited to ignore it. I waited for my Jewels to be drain and become useless. I waited for the touching, probing, and the ripping of my mind. I waited for the pain, the fear and the horror. I waited for the blood, when they found out they couldn't soil me.

I waited to _die_. To _suffer_. For those males to laugh in my face.

_**-"She's a aggressive one... I like my girls feisty..."-**_

I waited.

But nothing happened.

No one came.

No one even passed the door.

I was alone.

Hidden.

_**-Death. I want-**_

My breathing calmed slightly; grew less frequent and desperate. The water-sweat eventually evaporated after making a pool around my bottom from not drying myself. Nothing evaporated the fear or the loathing I felt.

**-**_**He eyed me from across the street, looking at me from head to toe. I saw the assessing look in his eyes and I knew instantly that he was a man who came from the hunting camps. Men there needed relief too, and I had seen how men had looked twice at me, whether I was in dusty, old aristo rags or not. He started towards me, and a sudden rush of cold wrath washed threw me. I spread my wings, and snarled dangerously at him-**_

Why had the Darkness chosen me, a bastard, to lead such a troublesome life? My mother was an aristo Eyrien, who had fallen pregnant from my father on her Virgin Night at a hunting camp, and never saw him after finding out he was a "disgusting" half-breed. Mother was a woman who led rich aristo men on, allowing them to shower her with gifts, while allowing men to stay for up to three weeks in our house; usually in my bed room. I flinched and a wimp escapes my lips. She had been in the court that ruled Little Terreille, but once the wave of power that killed all the bitches spread over the land, there was little left of the court. I was in her womb at the time; this had all been told to me by one of the many men that had... visited.

The Darkness had pared me with such a hatful mother who courted men into our house, forcing me to grow up fast. Never knowing when I was safe, had given me sharp instincts – I could thank the Darkness for that – but I'd had such a loathsome person controlling my life until I was a young teenager, giving me some bone-chilling traits. If the Darkness was so wondrous, why did it allow for so many of the wrong things?

My eyelids grew heavy. I felt my body slowly go limp and my mind go hazy and slow.

Without a doubt, I was – at some point – meant to get some sleep to help my injured body. Sleep that wanted to drag me to its depths now... suppose to stay...awake...

***Elayn's Sleep***

I dragged the silver blade across the target dummy, gorging deep into the wood. I spin around quickly, before ducking and throwing a kick at the dummies suppose pelvis. The target got thrown back so hard, that it hit the ground and came flying back up. I punch hard at its face, and the wooden oval splinters on my hand, sending wooden chips everywhere.

Stupid thing, I think as I kick the spring holding it to the ground, and to think it's made of the hardest wood around...

I summon a first-aid kit and pull the cloth off my knuckles. There is only one splinter stuck in my right hand, and it's _only_ the length of my nail. I pull it out, and dressed the wound before sealing it with Craft, then walk over to the crate full of target dummy body parts. I select a head, and went go thump the new function back into place.

This time, I feel like the books instructing me wrong. I frowned, and walked over to the crate, pulling an old book from behind it. Let's see, in hand to hand combat fighting... blah blah blah... hit there, and wound there... oh! Here it is... _protection is more appropriate when fighting against a practise or combat target_... yadda yadda yadda...stuff I already knew.

I snap the book shut, and look around me carefully before sliding it back behind the crate. No one knows I have Gealiar's Warrior-in-Training booklet... yet. I figure it's only a matter of time before Mother finds out.

I shudder at the thought of _it_ being _my_ mother.

I go to the many plants lining the wooden shelf; plants my mother rarely notices. I pick the leaves off one and rub it onto my knuckles. I numb feeling spreads across and I smile inwards. The secret of lasting for hours on end practice fighting, and not feeling anything again till three days later – by which the pain is usually already gone.

"Elayn! Get here this instant!" a high pitched, girly voice shrieked at me.

My shoulders hunch slightly and I twisted violently in panic; to get to my mother before she punishes me. I run into the kitchen, where she's standing with a large dress on. Expensive dress for that matter.

I lower my gaze to her neck. "Yes, Mother?" Mother was more like a formal title than what it seemed. It was like a servant calling the master 'Yes, Prince' or 'Yes, my Lady'.

"Lord Gealiar has had a terrible accident in the bed room. Dispose of him." She commanded with a wave of her hand, before turning on her heel and walking into my bedroom. "I'm going to sleep here tonight. I'm sure you can make yourself comfortable in my room."

I shuddered, and jogged into the Master bedroom. I almost throw up, but I know that will earn me a Butter-knifing, so I hold it in.

Lord Gealiar is laying cuffed to the posts of the bed, with long, horrible cuts down his backside. His hands and feet are swollen and black; putrid puss spilling out where Mother has cut his fingers and toes off. Bits of his ears and manhood lay scattered on the sheets of the bed, while his internal organs steadily slid out of his body. Everywhere there had been hair growing was bleeding, from where Mother had ripped his hair out by the roots.

I covered my mouth with my hand as the most horrible odour emits from him.

Mother swoops up behind me, and I freeze in fear. She slides up so she's inches from me, her hot breath breathing down my neck.

"He was such a mean and nasty fellow." She whispers in my ear, grabbing my hand with the palm of hers. Mother nudges me towards him with her pelvis, and I can do nothing but obey. She places my hand on the neck of Lord Gealiar.

I pull back instantly, screaming. Mother summons a butterknife and cuts me on the back of my neck.

The pain makes me what to scream, but I hold my tongue. Screaming means more butterknife cuts, and blunt knifes means the longer it takes to get to the bone of people... but the more pain.

She kisses where the cut is, and with bleeding lips, takes my hand and puts it back onto Lord Gealiar's neck. All I can do it close my eyes.

His pulse...

_He's still alive_.

Lord Gealiar was one of the few men that actually were kind to me. To be in this kind of pain...

I saw his eye sockets, heard him breathing sort and desperate as his lungs fell onto the bed, still attached. But I knew what I could do... as a last act of help for him. His Ring of Obedience was being twirled around Mother's finger. I felt sicked.

I closed my eyes and with my Birthright Grey, I shattered his mind. Quick and merciful.

It was all I could do for him, but I knew what Mother would do now.

Mother threw me to the ground, looking at me with uncontrollable rage. Her Opal Jewel flashed dangerously; she was also a Black Widow. I was Grey Jewelled; I could outlast her – even rip her to shreds'.

But I have the Ring of Obedience on me, too. Just not where men have there's.

"How _dare_ you!" She yelled at me, sending unimaginable pain through my neck, causing my head to roll to the side in the effort to keep it up. I bit my lip, not letting the scream escape to satisfy her.

The Ring of Obedience pain was put up to the highest of its capabilities. _No! Please no!_

I felt my body become distant, the pain fading as I fell into a layer of darkness. Mercy, I thought. Safety...

But I was brought up by Mother shoving me under the ice water from the shower. She pulled me out an instant later, her butterknife in hand.

I couldn't stop the scream of pain, or the gleam in her eye as she spun me around, pulled up my training t-shirt and slashed at my back.

Over and over. Again and again. Pain. So much pain...

Mother threw me outside onto the ground, bleeding and stone cold. I curled into a ball, trying to protect my bat-like wings from any harm.

Let me die. Sweet Darkness let me die.

"You little bitch!" She screeched at me, before slamming the door behind her, most likely locking it.

I was too weak to get up, to even move to a more comfortable position. We both knew it would get below freezing out here at night, and with the feral wolf packs around and my bleeding; it was unlikely I would survive the night.

"Darkness, have mercy on me..." I whispered, just as the ants started climbing up my back, to the torn flesh...

I surfaced from the nightmare - my personal nightmares – gasping for air and drenched in sweat. . I felt horrible pains on my back... no. There couldn't be... on my back... I felt a tingling and pinching... the ants...

I lunged forwards, onto all fours, and crawled painfully to the door that didn't lead to the hall. A quick psychical sweep told me that it had no one in it, and it was reasonably small. The crawling sensation intensified, and I knew I was in no condition to stand up, so I blew the door off using Craft.

I yelped when I saw myself in the roof-to-floor mirror; my hair was such a mess that calling it a beehive was an understatement; the black circles under my eyes that made it look like I hadn't slept in years; Claudia's clothes were torn and ripped everywhere like an animal had clawed at them; my skin was pale as ice; my lips cracked at dry; while my eyes... they didn't seem to be mine. They were a fiery golden, while holding wisdom and derangement.

I blinked, startled, before I noticed the ant feeling had vanished. My legs and arms shook with the effort it took to hold my own weight up, so I gave in and, despite my efforts to land gracefully, I collapsed to the ground.

The cold, tiled, stone ground met my body with a chilling force.

I looked at the Grey Jewel set in the wolf bone necklace that was lined with gold flecks. The Grey was down to its last drop of power... I can't hold the shields for much longer... and I'm on the brink of sleep...

My shields stuttered, faded, reappeared then vanished completely. My eyes grew forever heavy, while it felt like my body was being pulled downwards as everything faded into Darkness.

In the Darkness, I could make out a figure.

A dark figure, looking Ebony black with glowing, melting golden eyes. I could see the outline of fur, blowing to the non-existent wind. I studied the figure as it stood there in silence. It was familiar – a familiar stranger, looking both like a known figure and yet a complete foreigner. I knew there was no danger...somehow... Strange isn't it?

I clicked my tongue, a sudden burst of memory hitting me in the face like a cold bucket of water. "So this is where you hide." I said accusingly, my voice sounding pressed and compacted. The figure shifted, seeming to change gracefully to lean on one leg.

"_I do not hide." _It purred coyly, a smile playing on its lips. Wait... how did I know it was smiling? "_You cannot keep me hidden forever."_

Before I could answer, insult or make something of that, I was pulled out of the Darkness. The first thing I noticed was the lack of light, like I'd been asleep for hours, when it seemed merely moments.

The second was the wave of pain that hit me. Everything felt like it was in pain. It felt like I was being pulled, teared and ripped from inside out. I locked my jaw, not allowing the scream of agony I wanted to release out.

Slowly, I rolled to the side, planting my feet and hands onto the floor under me. My whole body shaking, I somehow managed to lift myself from the ground and push myself to my feet. Suddenly the notion of using a cane didn't seem so bad.

With the help of the towel rack, I managed to balance myself and stare at my reflection.

I vanished my clothes and rolled my shoulders back to try and relieve some of the tension. What I was staring at was far worse than I had thought.

Somehow, the thought of going down stairs appeared in my mind as soon as my stomach rumbled with hunger. I tried to push the thought away – even if I had gotten over my past state of mind, and my mind had halted the re-plays of my past...for now... But that was no reason to go down stairs!

First, there are two-leggered males down there. I shuddered violently, my teeth chattering together noisily. _Males here protect and serve their females_, I heard Claudia's voice in my head from this morning.

I chewed my bottom lip in confusion, fear and in distaste. Second, my brother will be down there. He'll want to apologise, and then fuss over me for a while. He's reminded me of my horrible past more than once, and that's usually what he does when I'm... finished. It's awkward at first, but then I slip into who I usually am after... a while... He's probably worried sick at the moment. A stab of guilt penetrated the fear and worry for a moment, before vanishing without a trace.

_He's usually aggressive around the other males_, Claudia had told me. So, if I apologised I could go down... or up, now that I think about it...to get some food. My stomach rumbled at the thought. I'm sure in a place this big they had a huge kitchen with lots of food – no one will notice if it goes missing – I hope. Then, Kalan'drios can keep all the two-leggered males – I flinched from the thought – away from me, even if they _do_ "serve" the females in their families. I'm not a part of anyone's family here, and I sure as Hell haven't seen any males aid any females around here lately.

I gritted my teeth and summoned in some clothes of mine; undergarments, as well as my long-sleeved, loose amber top and long faded red jeans with chewed edges – both from Graffie, a Sceltie. They lay on the bed in a heap.

I took long, deep breaths as I took the smallest of steps to the giant green bed, before tenderly laying my bottom onto the soft cotton covers. I hadn't noticed I was holding my breath until I let it out with a _whoosh_.

I shuddered quietly and stared at the clothes. Did I want to go downstairs? No. But the urge for food called to me like a long lost friend. Just the thought of stuffing my gob full of cooked meat aroused saliva in my mouth.

I called in a jar. The jar was about the size of my palm and was round and shining from the moonlight on the glass. Inside there was about half a bottle of green mush that looked a lot like mashed green apples. I slid the lid off and scooped a hand full onto the palm of my hand and rubbed it over the whole of my body.

After I had finished, I felt surprisingly heaps better. The herbs were from an experimental plant called 'Appline', because it looked a lot like apples. It actually numbs pain for a few hours and rids of ugly scarring, unlike Pain-me-not which rids of pain for days. I've used Appline before, and in my case, I still have the scar on my left fore-arm, the thousands of scars lining my back, the scar in the shape of a perfect circle under my right shoulder blade, the three evenly-spaced scratches from Kalan on the back of my right hand, the two long scars in one leg and the huge, disgusting line on my other leg.

Now, the scar on my hallowed leg was simply a fine white line, just like my other scars – the only detail that you knew it was there.

I slipped on my clothes with ease, not feeling the pain that had once filled my body like an infestation. I brushed my hair into a bun and tired it up, springs of hair falling out here the there. My stone eagle necklace and matching stone rings still sat, waiting to be used. I felt that with them there, I would be more comfortable.

I then summoned and slipped on some brown sandals, and picked up my wolf blade from the corner where I had huddled before. It slipped easily into the hidden compartment that sat the front of my jeans, hovering to the side of my private area.

My wolf bone necklace sat far lower than my stone eagle necklace, which was just above the loose t-shirt line. It sat nestled between my breasts – somewhere no one was _ever_ going to go.

I walked up to the door, took a deep breath to calm myself, before opening it slightly; Kalan is a _four-leggered _male. He's safe. Outside Kalan was watching the door through observant eyes. His focus changed from looking past the door from what-ever Kindred daydream about, to me. A sudder escaped my control as the scent defining him as a Warlord Prince wafted up my nose.

I wonder vaguely if I could ask for food to be sent up.

He blinked twice, very slowly. I opened the door wider and stepped into the hall, ignoring the persistent urge to run away, while trying to avoid stepping on his tail, before I quietly shut the door.

*You are... better?* he asked cautiously, as if afraid I'd run from him, which was a very wonderful notion at the moment. I nodded and bit my lip. It was like this for a few hours, always, until he'd burst out apologizing for something he couldn't expect to predict. A small frown came to his face when my stomach rumbled violently. Suddenly, his eyes shifted from cautious to ice golden-emerald; Kalan's fur stood up slightly; his teeth were beared at me.

*You need food.* it wasn't a question. He had changed from Kalan the brother to Kalan'drios the Warlord Price. Gracefully, he slid up onto his paws and stalked down the hall at a walking place, in a position that meant danger to anyone. I whimpered and pressed myself close to the door of the room I had previously been in. He didn't stop walking and I felt cornered; leave with him to get food, have protection and have to acknowledge that wounds no-one could see would heal faster if I knew I was safe; or stay in the room without food, without protection, without company and the constant feeling I was unsafe...

I jogged to catch up to him, and winced against my will as I entwined my fingers through his white fur behind his ear - it felt like an anchor that held me safely, no matter if he was male. I allowed myself to relax momentarily and walked along side him.

I felt the growl at the back of his throat before hearing it. *There's a bruise on your hand.* he informed me, snarling. I felt his anger, and knew he was confused, upset and dangerously close to the Killing Edge. My limbs stiffened at the anger – a Warlord Prince is always a heartbeat away from the Killing Edge.

My body felt numb with the internal battle raging inside of me – on one side, I thought: He's an Ebon-Grey Warlord Prince who is capable of ripping me to shreds without a thought. I shouldn't take my chances with such a danger, and _all_ males are a danger. Maybe the room _is_ safer...

On the other side: He's my _four-leggered brother_. I should be able to kick him off the advance to the Killing Edge without a thought, whether he's Ebon-Grey Jewelled or not. On a usual day, I would. Today I'm on verge of cowering in a corner at any thought of two-leggered males...

I'd been through this argument with myself a couple of times before after the memories surfaced against my will, usually when we were alone. He's my four-leggered brother; the only person in my family. Full stop. There should be no more arguments against that.

Unfortunately, there are too many reminders of my past. I chose to live with Kalan'drios, travelling further from our home pack every day. I stayed with Kindred; because they weren't human; Kindred males aren't lustful, hateful or power hungry; and because I could understand them a lot better than any humans. I'd almost ran into a fair share of hunters – men - over the years, but Kalan and I had made sure they didn't return undamaged, if at all.

I pulled my sleeve down to cover the hand, the bruise on it swelling an ugly black-purple on my skin.

"I fell and the back of my hand landed on the heel of my blade." I lied smoothly, only to be ruined by my teeth clattering together loudly.

He didn't need to know that that was only one of about thirty bruises covering me under these clothes...

**I hope everyone enjoyed! **

**Question: Should the next Chapter be about someone else's perspective of this event or skip to Elayn going to dinner?**

**~~ToySoldiers~~**


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